


Unforgettable

by bribitribbit



Category: High School Musical (Movies)
Genre: Future Fic, HSM Big Bang, Infidelity, M/M, ryan stars in singing in the rain on broadway
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-30
Updated: 2016-05-30
Packaged: 2018-07-11 04:23:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 26,358
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7028383
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bribitribbit/pseuds/bribitribbit
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This was pretty much the worst adrenaline rush he had ever had, and for the worst reason. So he was in the vicinity of his high school boyfriend for the first time in a decade. So what? Time had passed. Things had changed. There was nothing between them anymore.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted for HSM Big Bang 2009. 
> 
> \--
> 
> OH MY GOSH, thanks so much to every person who helped me on this-- [](http://roseclaw.livejournal.com/profile)[roseclaw](http://roseclaw.livejournal.com/), [](http://perculious.livejournal.com/profile)[perculious](http://perculious.livejournal.com/), [](http://smallearthcat.livejournal.com/profile)[smallearthcat](http://smallearthcat.livejournal.com/), [](http://musical-junkie.livejournal.com/profile)[musical_junkie](http://musical-junkie.livejournal.com/), [](http://onlysayitonce.livejournal.com/profile)[onlysayitonce](http://onlysayitonce.livejournal.com/), [](http://greensweaterlj.livejournal.com/profile)[greensweaterlj](http://greensweaterlj.livejournal.com/)... YOU ARE ALL SO AMAZING THANK YOU. :D Also thanks to [](http://queenitsy.livejournal.com/profile)[queenitsy](http://queenitsy.livejournal.com/), who kind of came up with the idea of [Zeke the shirtless chef.](http://temira.livejournal.com/98953.html) Because that would be SO GREAT. Steve Kluger gets a bit of thanks, too, as the original idea was based a lot off his novel _Almost Like Being in Love._ This fic is now almost nothing like it, although it's still about a dude who likes baseball and a dude who likes musicals.

" _And that's why, darling, it's incredible/That someone so unforgettable/Thinks that I am/Unforgettable too._ "  
\- "Unforgettable," Nat King Cole

_Ryan Evans_  
British Literature  
Mrs. Hendrix  
5-15-08  
Creative Writing Assignment #12  
"Where do you see yourself in ten years?" 

_Ten years is a very long time from now, or at least it seems like it will be. By then, I will be twenty-eight years old. I could say that in that time, I will have graduated college with a business degree, married happily, had three adorable babies, and begun my own electronics store. I could say that in ten years, I will become President of the United States, or at least a very important senator for the state of New Mexico. Or maybe in ten years I will become CEO of an important company, and live alone as a confirmed bachelor in a huge house in Los Angeles._

_None of those things sound as if they are in my future, though I suppose the future is a blank slate and I guess anything can happen. Who am I to say?_

_Here is what I would like for there to be in my future. I would like to have graduated from Juilliard. I would like to have my very own place in New York City. I would like to have met a thousand interesting people. Maybe more! Maybe I will be headlining in an up and coming new musical, or perhaps I will be a dancer for a revival of a classic one. Like, I don't know, Camelot or something. It was the first one that popped into my head. Maybe I'm just a choreographer. That would be even better than being in a musical, I think. Maybe I'll have already won a Tony. Maybe two! Maybe I'll have a row of Tonys on my mantle, like Bob Fosse must have._

_Maybe ten years from now, May 15th, 2018, it will be a day like any other, and then I hear my doorbell ring and standing on my doorstep will be the love of my life, coming home from a day at work with take-out and a movie. I hope it will be a good movie. I hope they still make good movies in ten years. I think that is where I would like to be in ten years: home._

~*~

It was Thursday lunch, which was usually the day Ryan went off campus for lunch with Sharpay. But as he walked down the hall towards the doors leading out to the parking lot, he heard someone shout his name. "Hey, Evans!"

Ryan looked over his shoulder to see who was calling him. Chad jogged towards him, his curls bouncing up and down. There was a huge grin on his face, and Ryan couldn't help but grin back. To think that this time last year, Chad was the last person he'd expect to hear calling his name in a crowded hallway. Now, it was just par for the course.

"Hey," he said when the other boy caught up, one hand behind his back. Ryan lifted his chin in the direction of the hidden arm. "What's that?"

Chad pointedly ignored Ryan's question and asked one of his own instead. "Guess what, man?"

"You've decided that dancing is your one and only passion? You're completely and totally in love with my sister?"

Chad rolled his eyes. "No, and _definitely_ no, not ever. I was going to say--did you know there's only two weeks until we graduate?" He raised his free hand for a high five, but Ryan wasn't willing to deliver quite yet.

"I was aware. You hailed me down to tell me that?" Ryan shook his head. "You're lucky you're a decent dancer, Danforth, and that I need you for the spring musical or else I'd erase you from my life completely."

"What, and find someone else to bring you delicious food?" Chad brought out the hand that he'd been hiding. In it he was clutching a bag from Chick-fil-a. "It's chicken nuggets, dude."

Ryan's grin grew even bigger, and he tried to ignore the stupid, fluttery feeling in his chest because it wasn't like he was Bella Swan or something. (Sharpay was completely obsessed with those books. They made Ryan want to shoot someone in the face. Possibly himself.)

"You brought me lunch!" He gave Chad a suspicious once-over. "Did you do something to my scooter? Are you dropping out of the musical? There has to be a reason for this."

"No reason! I promise. Say I knew you had a test today... and I wanted to make you feel better?"

Ryan didn't remember having a test. He would remember if he had had a test. He squinted at Chad, whose attention had just been claimed by something over Ryan's shoulder. Chad pulled him into an open doorway, and Ryan looked to see just what they were hiding from--and saw Troy. He looked back at Chad. "Having issues?"

Chad shrugged sheepishly. "Troy's my best friend and all, but all this worrying about Gabriella is driving me crazy. I mean, she's usually his number one favorite topic of conversation on a _good_ day. The past couple of weeks, it's been non- _stop_. And Jason does nothing but study all day, and Zeke only wants to talk about whatever Sharpay wants to talk about--which, usually, is shoes--and, I don't know, just about everyone I know is making me _insane_."

"So... your solution was to buy me lunch?" Ryan didn't mention the part where apparently he was not one of the people currently driving Chad crazy. He hoped that was a good thing. It definitely seemed like one.

"More like, I thought if I skipped third period and bought you lunch, it might be easier to persuade you to join in a desecration of the practice rooms and eat with me there so I could avoid the Wildcats for about half an hour. I mean, you're not currently angsting over your girlfriend's college decision or passing your APs or trying to impress your sister, which makes hanging out with you sound significantly better than hanging out with everyone else."

Ryan pretended to consider this, then sighed over-gustily and said, "Sure, okay. But you have to stay away from the piano, or Kelsi will kill me."

Chad's face was all delight. Way more delight, Ryan thought self-indulgently, than something like this between friends would normally deserve. But Ryan knew better than to hope when it came to Chad. He was dating Taylor, after all, and the rather exuberant invitation she got to prom denoted more than a little affection on Chad's side. But the smile that refused to stay hidden whenever Chad was around stayed there, and Ryan allowed himself to be led to the practice rooms--and not just by the tantalizing smell of Chick-fil-a, although that helped.

It was his favorite, after all.

Chad was good at remembering things like that. Ryan wondered if he always remembered favorites and other such things when it came to all of his friends or if Ryan was just special. Not that there was any reason he _should_ be special.

His thoughts were interrupted by Chad's voice. "You're being kind of quiet. Not gonna lie, it's weird."

"Thinking about the musical," he lied smoothly. Or so he hoped. He took out his cell phone and texted a quick note to Sharpay: _sry but i cant make lunch 2day_.

"Are you worried? Dude, you shouldn't be. The musical is going to _rock_." Ryan was about to reply when Chad added, "After all, I'm in it.

Sharpay's reply came quickly: _hot date w stupid hair boy_?

Ryan scoffed at Chad. "Okay, yeah, I admit it. You're basically the only reason anybody's coming to see it at all. That's why your name is biggest on the program." _His hair isnt stupid_. Ryan tucked his phone into his pocket.

They reached the door to the music room. As Chad turned the knob, he looked back at Ryan over his shoulder, eyes wide. "No way? It is, really?"

Ryan laughed, following Chad inside and closing the door behind him. "No, dorkbrain. As if Sharpay would allow anyone's name to be bigger than hers."

"Phew. I don't think I could take that kind of pressure." Chad slid down to sit against a wall, lotus style. Ryan sat across from him, reaching for the bag. He peeked inside and pulled out the box of chicken nuggets. Their knees were touching.

"Did you remember barbecue sauce?"

"That's like asking me if I remembered to bring my lucky sneakers to the championship game." Chad shook his head and took out his own box and two packets of barbecue sauce. He gave one to Ryan. "It's like you have no faith in me."

The food was delicious and, to Ryan's surprise, still pretty hot. He hummed happily as he chewed and then, swallowing, he asked, "So are you excited about prom tomorrow night?"

A dark expression passed over Chad's face. "I was, but then Gabriella decided she'd rather be in California. Then Jason dropped out 'cause his mom is making him study instead, which means Martha isn't going to bother, either. And Zeke isn't even going to come in the same limo as Taylor, Troy, and I. Sharpay wants to drive _her_ car." He shrugged. "I mean, I guess it's still going to be fun--but I was hoping it would be all of us, together, you know?"

"You'll still see Zeke at the actual prom." Ryan paused before he added, "And me. And Kelsi."

Chad smiled and looked up at Ryan through his eyelashes. Ryan took a deep breath. "I know. That part will be awesome. Like I said, it'll be fun. Just not what I've been expecting." The breath came out slowly.

"Maybe that's a good thing. You never know."

"I guess."

He continued to chew thoughtfully, and it was quiet in the music room. Somehow, it wasn't awkward. Ryan could count on one hand the number of people with whom he could just sit in complete silence and not feel awkward.

The silence didn't last long though, because a few minutes later, Chad peered at Ryan's pile of uneaten waffle fries. Somehow he had inhaled all of his in the space of five minutes. "Hey, are you going to eat those?" He didn't wait for Ryan to answer before he reached over, setting his hand on Ryan's knee to balance himself, and stole a couple. Ryan laughed and flicked Chad's nose with his finger. Chad retaliated by dabbing Ryan's own nose with ketchup.

Before this year such a thought would have never entered the mind of Ryan Evans, but he almost wished that high school didn't have to end.

~*~

Chad stared at his computer screen. The little cursor blinked back at him, as if it were mocking him. At the top of the page, he had written, _Where do you see yourself in ten years_? The assignment was not exactly difficult--in fact, it was kind of stupid. But that didn't mean Chad wasn't stumped.

Ten years was an awfully long time. He had trouble figuring out where he saw himself in a _month_ or at the end of summer, much less ten years. He began to type.

_In ten years I hope to_

His cell phone rang, an unexpected savior. The caller ID told him the call was from Troy. "Hello?"

"Dude, so, guess where I am." Troy sounded kind of weird. And waaay wired, like he was hooked up to an IV that had been feeding him nothing but fruity energy drinks for the past five hours.

"Um, your house?"

"No! I'm in _Nevada_!"

"Why the hell are you in Nevada? Are you going to Vegas or something?" Not that Troy seemed very much like the kind of person who would up and leave to gamble his life savings away at a sketchy casino, but Chad wasn't about to rule it out. It was entirely possible Troy Bolton had been kidnapped and replaced by a pod person.

"Nah, man," said Troy. Chad's frown got deeper and he knew what his best friend was going to say before he said it. "I'm going to see Gabriella!"

Troy sounded perfectly excited, but Chad suddenly felt like he couldn't breathe. "At Stanford?"

"Yeah! I figured, if she can't come to prom, I'm going to bring prom to her."

"That's... crazy, man. Crazy. Awesome, I guess, but you're going on my list of Craziest People Ever right up there next to, like, that girl who broke up with Jason because she said his toes were freaky-looking."

"I know," Troy said. "I know. It's the craziest fucking thing I've ever done in my life, but this is for Gabi, man. She's gotta know that I care that much."

"What, you thought she didn't already know you're completely in love with her?"

"I just have to make sure, you know?"

"I guess." Chad didn't have much to add to the conversation. He felt a little sick. Nothing was ever going to turn out the way he wanted, was it?

"Anyway, I just wanted to give you a heads-up before you freak out or something."

"Yeah... that would have sucked."

"But hey! I guess that means you and Taylor have the limo all to yourselves now. You can't see it, but I'm winking at you. Have fun, dude. I mean, that's what prom is for, right?" For what?

"Yeah... hey, Troy, I gotta go. But, um, say hi to Gabi for me. Don't get in any car accidents or anything."

"I'll try my hardest! I hope prom is awesome."

"Yeah, me too. Bye."

Chad clicked the _end_ button on his phone. So... not even his best friend in the entire world was going to be at prom. Man, this was going to _suck_.

The most annoying thing was that he wasn't supposed to be all invested in prom. That was supposed to be Taylor's job. After all, that's what "A Night to Remember" was all about--the girls swooning over dresses and having perfection, while all the dudes freaked out about being forced to dance. But it wasn't exactly prom Chad was freaking out about. It was more the horrifying daily reminder that the future was coming soon and there was nothing he could do about it. And that the more _he_ resisted, the more everyone else apparently welcomed it with open arms.

He just wasn't ready yet. He wanted high school to last just a little longer.

He sighed heavily and stood up. Glancing back at his computer screen, he saw that Taylor had sent him an IM message. It was probably something about how he had better get the right color roses for her corsage or something. Chad wasn't in the mood. He went downstairs, where his mom was watching some stupid reality television show, and sat down in the couch next to her.

She took one look at him, and he guessed the expression on his face must have been pretty pathetic because she immediately paused the TV show and said, "Okay, what's up?"

In spite of his mood, Chad felt a smile tug at the corners of his mouth. His mother knew him far too well. "Do you ever miss high school?"

The expression on his mother's face instantly changed to wistfulness. "You know, I don't even remember high school that well. I remember this one teacher I had--I adored her. She was the reason I decided to become a teacher myself. And I remember a boyfriend I had... his name was Kirk, I think? And I thought I was in love. I thought we were going to get married." She shook her head and chuckled to herself. "High school was okay. It was college that I really loved."

"Oh," was all Chad had to say in reply. He had been hoping she would make him feel better--not worse.

His mom frowned. "What's the matter, sweetheart?"

"I don't know, Mom. I'm just... worried, I guess. Like, I _love_ high school, you know? My friends are awesome, everything's been awesome, and it's going to end. And someday I might not even _remember_ it. That's just, I don't know, _weird_. I don't... I don't really want to graduate yet."

It was all stupid to begin with, but now it was all in the open and Chad felt like the hugest, lamest idiot in the world. Nobody cared this much about _high school_. And it wasn't even that he liked East all that much, or the teachers, or most of the kids at all. But his friends were, yeah, the only word to describe them was "awesome." And being in high school with them was the only way to ensure that he would always have them. As soon as they split off and went to different colleges all over the country....

Chad's mother opened her arms to her son, and Chad leaned willingly into them. She tugged on one of his curls. "It's all just a part of growing up, Charlie baby," she told him. "Things change. You just gotta go with the flow. If your friends are really that important, you'll still be talking to them ten, twenty years from now. I'm not saying none of you will drift apart, but it's not a given."

"Thanks," he said after a moment. It wasn't the most encouraging advice she could have given him, but it did help. "Guess what? Troy took off. He went to Stanford to see Gabriella."

"See, now, _there's_ something that's going to last forever. Troy and Gabriella, I mean."

Chad rolled his eyes. "Even you! Everyone's so ridiculously invested in them, I swear."

"They're cute!"

"I guess. It sucks for me, though. It's not like he'll be back in time for prom."

"That's right. I guess that means you and Taylor will be riding alone in that limo." She turned to look at him with narrowed eyes. "Don't think that means you can get up to anything, young man."

Chad made a face. _Oh_. The thought hadn't even crossed his mind. "I swear, Mom, nothing like that's going to happen."

"It better not."

"It won't!" Chad yawned and stood up. "Thanks, Mom. Seriously. I gotta go to bed, though."

"All right. Good night, Chad. Love you."

"You too, Mama."

He left her and made his way back upstairs to work some more on his essay. It was already late, and if he didn't have it finished by Monday, he could say goodbye to his B in English.

_Chad Danforth_  
British Literature  
Mrs. Hendrix  
5-19-08  
Creative Writing Assignment #12  
"Where do you see yourself in ten years?" 

_In ten years I hope to have finished college. Hopefully I'll graduate right with my best buddy, Troy Bolton. But I don't really know._

Sighing, he stopped there and went to bed.

~*~

Chad Danforth to Ryan Evans  
5-16-2008  
5:56PM  
_fyi limo rides r way awkward with just 2 ppl. what do we talk about???_

Ryan Evans to Chad Danforth  
5-16-2008  
5:58PM  
_what do u normally talk about when ur alone with ur gf?_

Chad Danforth to Ryan Evans  
5-16-2008  
6:01PM  
_idk!! were not alone that often. & she's not my gf, we're friends_

Ryan Evans to Chad Danforth  
5-16-2008  
6:04PM  
_ask her where she got her dress or sth. tell her its cute._

Ryan Evans to Chad Danforth  
5-16-2008  
6:04PM  
_actually that will make it sound like ur me_

Chad Danforth to Ryan Evans  
5-16-2008  
6:04PM  
_so u want me 2 sound like u_

Chad Danforth to Ryan Evans  
5-16-2008  
6:05PM  
_lol. jinx u owe me a soda. or a dance_

Ryan Evans to Chad Danforth  
5-16-2008  
6:10PM  
_u want me 2 dance w u? like @ prom?_

Chad Danforth to Ryan Evans  
5-16-2008  
6:11PM  
_yes. save the last dance 4 me._

Ryan Evans to Chad Danforth  
5-16-2008  
6:12PM  
_aw cute. ok. will do. wat is taylor doing while ur txting me?_

Chad Danforth to Ryan Evans  
5-16-2008  
6:15PM  
_mostly glaring @ me. shit. i g2g but i'll c u there_

~*~

Ryan slipped his phone back into the breast pocket of his tuxedo, grinning like he'd just been told he had won a life's supply of free hats and shoes just for being awesome. Sharpay frowned at him. "What's up with _you_?" she asked suspiciously.

"He's been texting a certain curly-haired basketball player," Kelsi answered for him, scooping up another spoonful of gelato, clearly struggling against getting any of it on her dress. Ryan was ready to murder her if such a thing did happen. "It's kind of ridiculously cute, actually."

"Kelsi!" Ryan protested. Maybe he would have to murder her anyway.

"What? It's not like anybody here doesn't know about your crush."

Zeke's Adam's apple bobbed up and down, and he raised his hand timidly. "I didn't."

"That's because you're not very observant, dear," said Sharpay, patting his cheek.

Zeke didn't protest. Mostly because it was a pretty true assessment. He shrugged and went back to inhaling his dessert. "I bet I could make homemade gelato," he said after savoring the last bite. "I'd just have to get the recipe... I wonder if it's like making ice cream. I've only made ice cream once, but it's actually pretty easy."

Kelsi, being naturally sweet and caring, seemed to actually be listening. Ryan saw that she was about to reply when Sharpay interrupted. "Why _Danforth_?" she asked. "He's not even one of the good jocks, like Zeke. Or Bolton, I guess."

"Thanks," said Zeke, raising one eyebrow.

"You're cute enough," replied Sharpay in a manner that was supposed to be flippant, but sounded more affectionate than Ryan was sure she wanted it to. She didn't let him comment, however. "Ryan? Answers. Now."

"Chad's cute, too," answered Ryan. "You know, for a sports-obsessed peon."

"Sports-obsessed peons can be awesome! You just never give us a chance," Zeke said. "Although, I guess I'm not that sports-obsessed. Just tall and a basketball player by default."

"Definitely a peon, though," teased Sharpay. Ryan rolled his eyes. His sister was being way too adorable with her boyfriend, and that was always a pretty disgusting sight to behold. "Anyway," she continued, "'cute' isn't enough. You have to give us more, Ryan. Prove that Chad is worthy of your fabulousness."

Ryan shrugged. "He buys me lunch. And he's, I don't know, kind of sweet." Did he really just use the word "sweet" to describe Chad Danforth? He could feel his cheeks warm. He finished off his gelato without looking up at the others at the table.

"He bought you lunch? When?" Kelsi sounded a little excited.

"Um," Ryan was trying very hard not to lick his spoon, the gelato was seriously _that_ delicious, "yesterday?"

"I wondered where you'd gone." Now Kelsi sounded smug.

Ryan had been about to give her a really witty answer that would wipe the frustrating all-knowing smirk off her face, like maybe _I wondered where your mom had gone_ , but just then the waiter came by with their check, and by the time they'd all paid, the time for comebacks had passed. Kelsi still looked smug, though, and kept making comments about whether she should be jealous when her date would be stolen from her later that night.

"Oh, speaking of," Ryan said as they climbed into Sharpay's ridiculous car, "he asked me to save a dance. For him, I mean." Now that everyone knew about his big gay crush, he saw no point in keeping everything to himself. This kind of stuff was too good.

"He's become a much better dancer since you've been working with him for the musical," Zeke helpfully observed as Sharpay sped out of the parking lot, forcing all passengers to hold tightly onto whatever anchors they could find in the car.

It would be a miracle if they all made it to prom in one piece.

~*~

Compared to the excruciating awkwardness that had been the limousine ride, the pre-prom dinner with Taylor was actually kind of nice. They rarely spent much time together, despite everyone's assumptions that they were seriously dating, and Chad sometimes forgot that Taylor was actually pretty awesome. After she had told him a funny story about how her little sister had gotten herself lost in a Target last weekend, he grinned at her and said, "You know, I'm going to miss you."

She looked a little taken aback, but there was a smile on her face. "That's sweet, Chad. I'm going to miss you too. Even if you are hopelessly oblivious."

"I am?" Chad thought about it.

"Um, hello? I've been pointedly making your life hell since, like, sophomore year. And you only just caught on in the past few months."

Chad chuckled. "I'm not good at subtle."

"I'm _anything_ but subtle."

"I'm not very good at overt, either."

The check came by and Chad shelled out the money. When they stood, Chad offered his arm to Taylor, which she graciously took.

"I guess not." Taylor did the little thing where she rolled her eyes, shook her head, and looked all affectionate and everything, all at the same time. "In any case, I guess it's for the better that you never did catch on. I had time to prepare myself for the possibility that we're not actually meant to be."

"Aw, come on, Tay. We were meant to be friends. Really good friends."

"Do you consider me to be one of your good friends?" She looked up at him, seeming both surprised and pleased by the thought.

"You're pretty much my favorite girl in the entire world," he replied. "Well, besides my mom. And my little sister. And my grandma, because my grandma's badass. But disregarding family, you're right up there. Look, there's the limo."

~*~

To: triplethreat14@ehs.edu  
From: captainwildcat@ehs.edu  
Subject: sup

_hey chad_  
just wanted to tell u i'm here in stanford  
it's beautiful here! i definitely wouldn't mind living here  
gabriella is beautiful too :)  
i'm sorry i'm missing prom :( but i bet u and taylor are having fun :)  
probs more than gabi and me bc she has all this studying to do 

_see you bro  
troy_

_p.s. tell kelsi & ryan that we're going to try our hardest to make it back in time for the musical 2mrw nite  
if not we're SO SORRY bc we know theyve worked soooooo hard :(_

~*~

It was nothing like any teen drama he'd ever watched on television (involuntarily, only because his sister had left the TV on, like, the romantic comedy channel and Chad had nothing better to do). He wasn't sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing. Mostly, it was boring. He danced a few times with Taylor, a few times with Kelsi, and even once with Sharpay. Martha had decided to come after all, not with Jason but instead with her sophomore cousin. One of the guys from the academic decathlon team had found Taylor and apparently insisted on dancing with her all night long, which she clearly didn't mind, so neither did Chad. During some of the fast songs, they all gathered in a circle and danced wildly. Mostly, though, Chad sort of hung out on the sidelines. He was definitely being a lame wallflower, but he had come not expecting to have fun, and now he wasn't having fun. Surprise.

His phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out and saw that he had a text message from Ryan.

Ryan Evans to Chad Danforth  
5-16-2008  
11:18PM  
_i saved that dance 4 u._

Oh, and there was that. In addition to how time wouldn't stop and let Chad hang onto high school for just that much longer, and how everything was changing, and how he _hated_ it because it was terrifying--there was the equally terrifying problem that was Chad's feelings for Ryan. They had been building up all year long--it had started last summer at Lava Springs, and it had been gradual--but now scenes like the one just this past Thursday were a dime a dozen. Ryan was not 100% Wildcat. He hadn't been a staple of Chad's life for the past four years, at least not in the same capacity as Chad's other friends had been.

Ryan was different. Ryan was fascinating. Ryan was _really_ attractive. Chad was ready to face the fact that he wasn't completely straight. All of these things, Chad found, resulted in a very different relationship than he had with the team or with anyone else in his life. They were always flirting, always touching. When Chad had a thought he wanted someone else to hear, sure, sometimes he told Troy, but more often than not Ryan was his first choice. When they watched movies together, Chad found himself doing that slightly obnoxious thing where every time he laughed, he wanted to make sure Ryan was laughing too.

Sometimes Ryan did the same thing at the same time, and their eyes would lock. Chad would turn away quickly, and if the room wasn't too dark, Chad could look out of the corner of his eye and see the shells of Ryan's ears turning red.

It was almost summer, and Chad was stuck in that strange pre-graduation vortex where everything was changing but nothing had changed yet. There was still time.

He took a deep breath and texted back.

Chad Danforth to Ryan Evans  
5-16-2008  
11:22PM  
_hey. do u want 2 blow this Popsicle stand (ha ha) and meet me outside by the fountain?_

Ryan Evans to Chad Danforth  
5-16-2008  
11:24PM  
_give me 2 mins & i'll be there._

Chad found Taylor and the academic decathalon boy twirling to the sound of Rihanna. He nodded at the boy, who nodded back, and Chad tapped on Taylor's shoulder. "Hey, Taylor," he yelled over the beat of the music. "I'm going outside for a bit. Call me when you wanna go, okay?"

She gave him the thumbs up and winked before twirling back to her dance partner. It was Chad's turn to do the affectionate eye-rolling/head-shaking combo. He put his hands in his pockets and made his way outside, where people were talking without shouting now that they could hear each other.

Ryan was standing under a lamp post, as distantly as possible from the groups of boys and girls flirting with each other. He held his jacket with one finger, slung over one shoulder, and had his other hand in his pocket. He looked like he'd walked straight out of an old musical. Not that Chad had ever watched one. He grinned when he saw Chad approaching.

"Fancy seeing you here," he said, tipping his hat with the hand that had been in his pocket.

"I come often," Chad replied, shrugging. "Thought I'd drop by."

"Did you really want to dance with me?" asked Ryan. "I didn't think so, but your text--"

Chad shook his head. "I don't really want to dance. I just didn't want to be there anymore."

Ryan nodded, but if Chad didn't know better, Ryan looked a little disappointed. "I understand. Sucks about the Troy thing." He looked up at the sky and then back down, into Chad's eyes. "You really wanted this to be perfect, didn't you?"

Ryan was the only person Chad could admit that to without feeling like a complete lameass. "Yeah, I did. I don't know, it's supposed to be our night to remember, right? And all that. I don't know, I thought it was supposed to be more awesome thanm this."

"Well, what I think you need," Ryan pulled his jacket back on and angled his hat to the other side, "is to stop moping. I don't care whether you want to dance or not, it's going to happen. And it's going to be fun." He offered Chad his hand.

Chad hesitated. He glanced back at the other kids standing around. They could turn around and see them dancing like idiots at any moment. It totally wasn't what you were supposed to do at prom. Did he care?

Everything was changing.

Chad took Ryan's hand and rested his other on Ryan's shoulder. "What kind of dance are we going to do?" he asked.

"Does it matter? Just feel it." They weren't doing any special kind of dance. They were just swaying together. It felt nice.

"There's no music," Chad pointed out.

"That's true." Ryan was quiet for a moment, before he began to sing quietly into Chad's ear. It wasn't a song Chad recognized, but he could tell it was from a musical. " _If I loved you/time and again I would try to say/all I wanted you to know_." They were moving away from the lamp post so that its light wasn't shining down on them anymore.

Chad forgot about the other people standing outside, just nearby. He forgot about the people laughing and dancing and probably having the times of their lives inside the gym. " _If I loved you/words wouldn't come in an easy way/round in circles I'd go_." Chad pulled his head away just enough to see Ryan's face fully. His eyes were so big, and he looked straight into Chad's own as he sang, " _Longing to tell you/but afraid and shy/I'd let my golden chances_ \--"

Chad kissed him. Ryan's lips were warm, and they opened under Chad's mouth in surprise but not in protest. Chad pushed his fingers into the hair at the back of Ryan's head, and he could feel Ryan's arm pull him closer by the waist. Their other hands were still clasped together at their side. Ryan's tongue swept into Chad's mouth, licking at intimate places few people had ever been before. Chad sucked on it, and Ryan made a tiny sound that Chad loved, nibbling at Chad's bottom lip. It wasn't perfect, but it was pretty wonderful nonetheless, at least in Chad's opinion.

When they came up for air, they didn't say a word to each other. Chad wasn't sure what words could precisely do justice to how he felt. He settled for just grinning at Ryan instead. Ryan beamed back.

~*~

5-23-2008  
FINAL REPORT CARD  
Charles Robert Danforth  
Grade 12  
DOB 10/15/1990  
ID# 15603

US Government – 3.8 (A)  
British Literature – 2.9 (C+)  
Trigonometry – 3.5 (B)  
Chemistry – 3.0 (B-)  
Spanish III – 3.0 (B-)  
Drama – 4.0 (A+)

~*~

**_Gabriella Montez is in Stanford but she misses everyone! :)_**  
last updated on May 16, 2008

 _Zeke Baylor is baking cookies for the post-graduation party tonight! they're Snickerdoodles, guys, get excited..._  
May 23, 2008 at 3:55pm

Sharpay Evans posted a picture.  
_Me and Boi in matching graduation gowns!!_  
May 23, 2008 at 3:52pm

 _Ryan Evans is now In a Relationship._  
May 23, 2008 at 3:45pm

Ryan Evans commented on Chad Danforth's wall:  
_pretty sure you have no one to blame but yourself ;)_  
<3  
May 23, 2008 at 3:36pm

Troy Bolton commented on Chad Danforth's wall:  
_duuuuuude, ANSWER YOUR PHONE. Call me asap._  
May 23, 2008 at 3:33pm

 _Jason Cross is graduating high school tonight!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!_  
May 23, 2008 at 3:27pm

Kelsi Nielsen commented on Chad Danforth's wall:  
_IT WAS ABOUT TIME :o)_  
May 23, 2008 at 3:26pm

 _Chad Danforth is now In a Relationship._  
May 23, 2008 at 3:19pm

Chad Danforth commented on Ryan Evans's wall:  
_i just got my report card..........pretty sure it's your fault i didn't get a b in english--i never had time to finish my essay ;)_  
May 23, 2008 at 3:15pm

~*~

Summer was amazing. That was the only way either Chad or Ryan could think to describe it. Neither of them had ever been in love before, at least not like this. Ryan was the happiest he'd been for a very long time. It was the happiest Chad had been in his life. But eventually, summer had to end. In August, Ryan left for school.

The afternoon before the morning Ryan's plane was scheduled to take off, they exchanged see you laters at Chad's house. They sat across from each other on Chad's bed with the stupid Batman sheets Ryan had come to love so dearly. Chad was picking at an invisible thread on his pillowcase and refused to look up at Ryan as Ryan lauded every inch of Juilliard's existence.

Finally, Ryan was fed up. "Don't look so sad, Chad," he chastised him, rolling his eyes. "It's not like you'll never see me again."

"It's a long time until December," Chad replied, though he looked sheepish. "I don't know, I guess I'm just worried you'll meet some ridiculously attractive ballet dancer and you'll be all, 'Who's Chad Danforth? I've never heard of him,' and a million years later I'll run into you in New York--"

"As you do--"

"Right, and I'll see you in Starbucks or something, and you'll be 'Oh, I recognize you! You were in one of my classes at Juilliard, right?' and I'll say--"

"'No, you're the jerk who left me behind in Albuquerque, I hate you, you bastard.' Right?" Ryan couldn't help laughing. "Your imagination is a pretty interesting place, Chad."

Chad looked at him then. They locked gazes, and Ryan stopped laughing. He suddenly felt breathless, as his boyfriend often tended to make him feel. They just sat there, staring at each other, Chad's sad brown eyes making Ryan want to kiss him until he never felt sad again. He reached for Chad's t-shirt and wrapped his fist in the fabric, pulling him closer so that he could press his own lips to Chad's.

Chad reacted quickly. They had exchanged so many kisses in the past few months, Ryan thought they might grow tired of it, but they never did. It was still too new to be too familiar, but not so new that Ryan didn't know that Chad would always tilt his head to the left first or that Chad would reach up to touch Ryan's hair at the nape of his neck, or that if they really got into it, _somehow_ their teeth would always click together at least once because no matter how graceful Ryan was on stage or Chad was on the court, neither of them were perfect.

Without removing his mouth from Chad's, Ryan pushed him backward so that he was on top. His leg fell between Chad's knees, a movement to which Chad reacted with enthusiasm. Ryan tugged on one of Chad's curls, laughing into Chad's mouth. It was sweet and slow and lovely, but Ryan couldn't shake the feeling that it was also tinged with shades of sadness and desperation.

It might have been a few minutes or a few hours when Chad pulled away. Their t-shirts had disappeared, and Ryan had ended up on the bottom. He frowned up at Chad.

"I love you." Chad said it so quietly that Ryan wasn't sure how he'd heard it. It wasn't the first time he'd said it, but this time it sounded a lot heavier and more important than it had before.

"I'll miss you," Ryan replied after a long moment. "At least until December."

"Yeah." Chad leaned down and kissed Ryan's jaw. "December."


	2. Chapter 2

**broadway.com  
October 10th, 2017  
RYAN EVANS SHINES BRIGHT IN STAGE REMAKE OF _SINGIN' IN THE RAIN_**

Ryan Evans always knew he was going to be on Broadway. He just never realized it would be in such a big way. 

The twenty-eight-year-old is from Albuquerque, New Mexico. He's been in two movies and three off-broadway shows since his graduation from the Juilliard School in 2012, including Uno! and the critically-acclaimed Put That Thing Back Where It Came From or So Help Me. This is his first time ever appearing in a Broadway show.

"I'm supposed to be filling Gene Kelly's shoes," said Evans. "How do you even do that?" 

We don't know how you figured it out, Ryan, but having caught a showing of Singin' in the Rain this past week, we'd say you're doing a fabulous job of it!

~*~

_October 17th, 2017  
Albuquerque, New Mexico_

It was purely coincidence that Chad had been watching _Oprah_ that day. 

If anything, he was an Ellen DeGeneres kind of dude, but that day his sister was over and she'd wanted to watch _Oprah_. So there they were, sitting in the tiny living room of his tiny apartment as he wrote up comments on his students' research projects and Saundra made herself a sandwich, chatting away about whatever, when Chad looked up from his computer at the television for just a second--and there was Ryan Evans, talking to Oprah as if he did so every day of his life. 

Seventh grade health was suddenly the furthest thing from his mind. He stared at the television, mesmerized by the image of a man he'd once had a massive crush on--had once been in love with--looking adult and well-adjusted and talking to _Oprah Winfrey_. Who, really, was never going to die, was she? Or retire, even? Not that she was that old yet, but she'd probably still have a show when she was ninety.

Chad could feel Saundra's stare boring into the back of his head. He turned around. She was raising her eyebrows so high they were lost behind her bangs.

" _Dude_ ," he said.

"Yeah," she agreed, before they both turned their attention back to the television.

Oprah looked surprisingly good. She was better off than Elizabeth Taylor, at any rate. Ryan also looked amazing, but if Chad was honest with himself, he might have been a little biased. His hair was dyed dark brown rather than its natural blond, and he was older, bigger, and looked as well-dressed as ever, though on the show he went hatless for once. The way he moved showed a definite dancers' grace--a quality certainly admired by the studio audience, which was still applauding. Ryan grinned and waved at the audience bashfully until they quieted down.

"So, Ryan--tell us about your show."

"Well, basically, we're bringing back _Singin' in the Rain_ , but this time on the stage as it's never been done before. I'm doing the part of Don Lockwood, and my talented friends Theodore Cox, Marianne Frank, and Mattie Peasey play Cosmo, Kathy, and Lina Lamont. It's a lot of fun, but you know, we definitely have some very big shoes to fill."

So he was on Broadway. Chad grinned in spite of himself. He was glad to learn Ryan had followed his dream--and made it big.

Oprah leaned forward in her seat, nodding in understanding. "That's right--Gene Kelly is one of the most beloved icons of the twentieth century, as is _Singin' in the Rain_ itself."

Ryan nodded emphatically. "No, yeah, totally. At first that song--Singin' in the Rain?--was difficult for me because I couldn't imagine recreating anything as iconic or as impressive as Gene Kelly's performance. After awhile though, Mattie and Celeste Brinks--she's the _fantastic_ director--they ganged up on me and they were, like, 'Seriously, Ryan. You've gotta suck it up.' And that's what I did. And of course me dancing in the rain is nothing like Mr. Kelly doing it, but I try." Ryan chuckled. "I especially love the 'dancing in the rain' part. It's so much fun. You haven't seen a stage musical until you've seen one where it actually rains onstage." 

"This is a show that takes place more than half a century ago. I imagine it's difficult to make it relevant to today's audiences."

Ryan smiled, and the corners of his eyes crinkled. Chad was amazed at how well he still knew this face and yet how different it had become. "Yes, very much so. It's also quite a lot of work to bring it to the stage--yes, it's already a musical, but the original was a musical made for film about film, and it's a very different experience seeing it on the stage, I imagine. The parts where Kathy is doing Lina's voiceovers, for example, are made up of very innovative blocking--that is, the placing of actors on the stage. Fortunately we have Celeste. She is simply amazing. She--the entire cast really makes being in the show just so much fun."

"I saw it last week and everyone should do this same. In fact, nobody in the studio audience today has any excuse not to--because everyone here today will receive two tickets to see _Singin' in the Rain_ , running now at the Imperial Theatre on Broadway!"

There was a long minute or two of excited cheers from the audience before commercials took over. "Wish I was there," said Saundra as an advertisement for laundry detergent came onscreen. "I always wish I happened to be at a taping when she's giving away free stuff."

"Ditto. I'm always up for free stuff." replied Chad, "Though maybe not so much when she gives away things like free bras. I don't know what I'd do with them."

"Give them to me, duh." Saundra laughed. She finished her sandwich and sat next to Chad. "This is weird, isn't it? How long has it been since you've seen him?"

"I don't know. Ten years, give or take? Not since the summer after freshman year. We sort of drifted apart." If 'drifted apart' meant Chad had stayed desperately in love for three years after Ryan decided to end the relationship.

"Crazy, man. I'm glad none of my exes are famous. It would make me feel a little inferior."

Chad rolled his eyes. "Thanks, Saundra. You're awesome, and that makes me feel totally awesome."

"Shush, it's back on." 

Oprah's warm, inviting voice came on over a shot of Times Square, with all the advertisements for Broadway shows and a short clip of Ryan dancing with his co-stars, all in yellow raincoats. It looked familiar and Chad wracked his brain--it was a song about morning, if he remembered correctly. He'd only ever seen _Singin' in the Rain once_ , during high school. Actually, it had been with Ryan, just them and Sharpay hanging out at the Evanses' house, before he and Ryan had actually begun dating. It had been one of the few times that he'd actually enjoyed Sharpay's company, and after the movie Zeke came over and all four of them baked the most horrible pie Chad had ever tasted.

The shot of Times Square faded into the image of Ryan cheerfully looking into the camera. Chad felt, as he always did when people looked into the camera on movies and television, that Ryan was looking straight at him. 

Ryan turned his head to look at Oprah as she spoke to the viewers at home. "Today we have Ryan Evans, critically-acclaimed Broadway actor, here to talk about his current show, Singin' in the Rain, his part in the upcoming film _College Musical_ , and the charity he founded with help from his sister, The Drama Club." Oprah's attention turned to Ryan. "Tell us about your organization, please, Ryan."

Ryan's entire face lit up, like it had when he had been a high schooler and he had a chance to talk about _Hello, Dolly_ or dancing or Juilliard. "The Drama Club started because my twin sister, who runs a small theatrical school in Albuquerque, was worried about the lack of arts in the public education system. That's why she started the school--our own high school no longer supports a drama program, and my sister's school is one of two options in the entire city if you want to pursue theatre as a high schooler. So basically, the Drama Club is a non-profit organization whose mission statement is, essentially, anyone can do drama. Anyone, regardless of race or class or anything else. So we go out and produce plays made up of very diverse casts. It's very cool and very fun. Last month, in fact, Sharpay--that's my sister--and the rest of the Drama Club in Albuquerque did a production of _Anything Goes_ and it was fabulous; I went down to New Mexico to see it."

There was a short clip from what Chad assumed was the aforementioned production of _Anything Goes_. There was a girl--no older than fifteen or sixteen--belting stage center, dressed in a sailor's outfit, her arms spread wide, as behind her as boys and girls danced and cartwheeled across the stage behind her. It was colorful and full of energy and it reminded Chad of the time he actually was part of a high school production himself.

"That's really amazing. It's sad to see the arts on such a decline in the United States. Listen, Ryan, did you know--studies show that the estimated amount of ninth to twelfth graders who participate in extracurricular arts is around sixteen percent less than it was ten years ago."

"Yeah, exactly. And Sharpay and I and the rest of the Drama Club want to change that."

Oprah gave some details on how viewers at home could help out with Ryan's charity if they so desired, and Chad made a note to himself to donate as much as he could spare (though, honestly, on a teacher's salary, that wasn't much). After that, Oprah said goodbye to her guest, and grinning and waving charmingly at the camera, Ryan left the stage, though not without a reminder from the host that he would return later to perform a song from _Singin' in the Rain_.

"That was probably the most surreal experience of my life," announced Chad as soon as Saundra turned the TV off. "I mean, I always thought Ryan was pretty talented, but never in my dreams did I think he would be doing interviews on daytime talk shows. Or that I would see him in one."

"It's definitely weird. Hey, I wonder if Troy and Gabriella saw it. You should give them a call. I gotta go, though--April has a recital tonight." Saundra stood up and grabbed her coat from where it was hanging on the back of a chair.

April was Chad's seven-year-old niece, and he adored her like none other. "I wish I could," he said truthfully, "but it's almost winter break, which means I've got to get these grades in. Tell her to break a leg, though!"

Saundra rolled her eyes. "If I tell her that, she'll start thinking she's actually going to break her leg." She leaned down and gave Chad a kiss on the cheek before she made her way towards the door. "See you later!"

"See you later," he replied, still dazed from having seen his high school boyfriend on the television. It was too strange for words. Shaking his head, he stood to turn on the stereo before sitting back down to read the research reports again. But no matter how intriguing his students' essays on various respiratory diseases were, for the first time in years, Chad couldn't take his mind off Ryan.

~*~

_October 17th, 2017  
New York City_

Ryan groaned and switched the television off, making himself fall over sideways on the couch. He threw his arm over his eyes. "Well, that was completely idiotic," he announced loudly enough so that James, who was putting away clothes in the other room, could hear. He wondered what things would be like were he a TV or movie actor. You would have to relive the mortification of seeing yourself perform _all the time_. This is why he had gone into theatre: you never had to watch yourself afterward.

"What are you talking about?" James called from the bedroom. A few seconds later, Ryan could hear the click of the door being closed and his boyfriend walked into the living room, a laundry basket at his hip. "It was adorable."

"Great. Adorable. That is exactly how I wanted to come across in front of _Oprah Winfrey_." He groaned again. "I just sounded so _stupid_. How many times did I say the word 'fun'?"

"About fifteen," James admitted, chuckling. He put down the laundry basket next to the couch and sat down at the opposite end of the couch, reaching over to touch Ryan's shoulder. "It wasn't that bad. I promise."

"You have to say that." Ryan peeked at him and rolled his eyes. "You're dating me and everything. You're contractually obligated to tell me I don't sound stupid when I totally do."

"When have I ever passed up the chance to tell you you sound stupid?"

"Point." Ryan sat up and hid his face in his hands. "It's just that it was my first interview on network television."

"And look at you! You're so awesome, you completely skipped _The Today Show_ and _The View_ and went straight to Oprah."

Ryan shook his head but couldn't help the little smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "Why are you so sweet? It's kind of a problem." 

James leaned over and Ryan tilted his head up, expecting a kiss on the mouth. What he got instead was James's mouth on his neck, sucking on the pressure point there. Ryan's eyes fluttered closed and he smiled.

The best thing about having a steady boyfriend, in Ryan's opinion, was the making out. Not that he didn't love full out sex, but he really enjoyed just making out for long periods of time, the way he couldn't with someone he wasn't serious with. And James was the first person he'd been serious with since he'd begun college--before him, it had been a series of hook-ups and failed one-time dates. He'd met James just a little over a year ago at the bookstore where James worked. Ryan had asked for a copy of an Angela Lansbury biography. They learned that they had a commonly shared obsession with _Hello, Dolly_ \--and that, in fact, they had many things in common. After the third date, Sharpay had come to visit and observe; James had gotten an A+ from her and so Ryan mentioned something about "going steady"--a remark which received both an eye roll ("This isn't _Bye Bye Birdie_ , Ryan") and enthusiastic agreement. 

And they were happy. Well, at least, _Ryan_ was happy. For the most part. He couldn't speak for James. But James seemed happy, and Ryan knew that James would do anything for him. Hell, he _had_ done almost everything for him. In fact, Ryan wondered often what exactly James was getting out of the deal, besides daily sex. Sharpay was thousands of miles away, which meant Ryan had sort of taken over the whole diva thing. He was prickly and difficult, not very thoughtful or even bright, and even though he didn't always mean to, he often took advantage of James's innate generosity. He tried to love James with all he had but he knew that was little compared to how James loved him. James was sweet and compassionate and next to running the little bookshop he'd just opened, his entire life seemed to revolve around making Ryan happy. 

Which was exactly Ryan wanted. Or what he thought he wanted, anyway. But as Ryan felt the weight of James on top of him and felt the warm wetness of his mouth traveling down his bare chest, he wondered if maybe there should be something more.

~*~

The next day after school, Chad picked up the phone as soon as he got home. The phone rang so long Chad almost decided to hang up, when at last Troy picked up. "Dude!" came his friend's excited voice. "How's it going?"

"Pretty good, man," replied Chad, a wide grin automatically appearing on his face at Troy's obvious pleasure. "What about you?"

"You have perfect timing, man. Gabi and I just came back from the doctor--guess what! We're having a kid!"

Chad raised his eyebrows in surprise but the grin on his face grew wider. "That's _awesome_! Congratulations! Hey, put Gabi on the phone, so I can tell her congrats too."

Troy and Gabriella had married three months after graduating college--Chad was still amazed they'd waited that long--and though Chad knew they both wanted children, they had chosen to wait for Gabriella to finish med school and for Troy to get started on his woodworking business. (Of all the things Chad might have expected Troy to do when they "grew up," carpentry was not one of them. Still, it seemed to make Troy happy and it _was_ doing very well.) Now, all of those goals had been reached.

Gabriella's sunshine-filled voice chimed into his ear. "Chad! Will you be the baby's godfather?"

Chad didn't even have to think about that one. "Dude. Yes! Of course! I'm so happy for you guys, Gabs. How far along are you?"

"Around three or four weeks. We haven't figured that one out _quite_ yet." Chad knew that if he was there, she'd be blushing. Some things never change. Chad wanted to tease her about it, but he didn't really know what to say to Gabriella other than "Yay!". He was going to be a godfather! He didn't really want kids of his own, but having a baby to play with and give candy to and then give back to Troy when it peed or something was an exciting prospect. He realized, however, that that opinion might change as he got older...

Suddenly he remembered why he had called Troy and Gabriella in the first place. "Oh, hey, Gabi--did you watch _Oprah_ yesterday?"

"Yes, we Tivoed it! Why, were you watching it too? Did you see Ryan? He emailed me to tell me he was going to be on." Unlike Chad himself, Gabriella managed to keep up with just about everyone they'd known in high school by way of Facebook (Chad refused to resurrect the one that had lasted him through college; too many memories he didn't necessarily want to relive), and furthermore emailed back and forth and spoke on the telephone with a few of them frequently. Ryan was one of those few. Gabriella was always trying to get Chad to come to little reunion parties whenever more than just Chad and Sharpay--whom Chad hadn't even realized was in town until Ryan had said so on _Oprah_ \--were in Albuquerque. It wasn't often but it happened. The only people from East High that Chad spoke to anymore were, obviously, Troy and Gabriella, and Taylor on occasion. 

Gabriella was still speaking into the telephone. "--Lovely, right? And did you know, he's planning to come down for the reunion next weekend! You're going, right? Troy and I will be there, and Taylor, and I've heard that Zeke and Kelsi are coming too. I'm really excited.... Chad? Are you there?"

So much for not keeping up with high school acquaintances. "Um," he tried even though he knew the answer, "What reunion?"

Chad could almost hear her rolling her eyes, and could definitely hear her exasperated grin. " _Duh_ , the ten year reunion, homecoming weekend. I mean, I know you guys were never into football at East--I guess it just wasn't our thing, was it--but still! I'm so interested in seeing how everyone's turned out, ten years later."

"Well, I wasn't going to go, to be honest." He cleared his throat. "But I guess if you and Troy are coming down...."

Troy's voice boomed in Chad's ear, along with a protest from Gabriella in the background. "No, man, you should totally come! It'll be awesome."

Chad ran his tongue over his front teeth and then sighed. "I guess. You owe me, though."

"We'll play one-on-one in the gym. And I'll let you win."

"Ha ha, _let_ me win. I'm a basketball coach, dude, and a gym teacher. I still got game."

"Not half as much game as me," Troy replied, laughing. "Okay, we gotta go--Gabi wants to go grocery shopping. I'll call you later?"

"See you. Literally." 

Even when the click indicating Troy had hung up sounded in Chad's ear, he continued to hold the phone to the side of his face, tapping his cheek with the ear piece. It wasn't that he didn't _want_ to see all of friends from high school; it was more that now he had fallen out of touch with them he felt awkward trying to get back in touch. Plus there was that whole very likely possibility that they were doing awesome things in awesome places while he--well, he had stayed in Albuquerque and taught eighth and seventh graders how to play dodgeball. Not the most illustrious of jobs. He loved it, but come on, it was middle school.

Chad rolled his eyes at himself and put his phone back into its receiver. He wasn't going to freak unnecessarily about this like he was _actually_ in high school again. He refused.

Yet that didn't stop the sudden resurgence of dreams where he was caught naked in the middle of an East High hallway.

~*~

_October 24th, 2017  
New York City_

Ryan had already spoken with Celeste about missing the show the weekend of his high school reunion, and fortunately his understudy was competent enough that nobody was too inconvenienced by his absence. Still, he felt guilty as he hugged Mattie goodbye (sure, it was only a few days but he was going on an _airplane_ , after all), waved to the rest of the cast, and went home to pick up his luggage--a single carry-on with clothes and hats to last him three days. Kelsi would meet him at the airport and then they'd head back to Arizona together.

Ryan had rarely gone back home to Albuquerque since he'd moved to New York City. The upcoming holidays would be the third year in a row that Ryan hadn't returned for Thanksgiving and Christmas since his life at Juilliard had begun, and he often traveled to different cities during fall and spring break. His summers had been spent interning for various theatres, or, one summer, in London at the Globe itself. He missed his parents and Sharpay like crazy, but his mother had visited several times and Sharpay was notorious for frequently spending inordinate amounts of money on random trips to New York. He just didn't want to go back to the stifling environment that had been his life during his high school years. He knew, intellectually, that it would probably be a lot different now than it had been back then, but at the same time he just didn't want to face all of that again. He had had no plans to go back for the reunion at all, in fact, until Sharpay and Kelsi both had begged and goaded him until he agreed. 

He wondered what everyone else was up to. Though his relationship with the Wildcats (the nickname still amused him with its cheesiness, even a decade later) had grown into something akin to friendship in his senior year, he had not kept in touch with most of them. If he cared to admit it--and he didn't--a lot of this was due to his failed relationship with Chad. He was terrified that dumping Chad in such an unceremonious and incredibly douchey (if he did say so himself) manner was the best way to rouse Troy Bolton's worst side, and he was sure even Gabriella would have had trouble forgiving him. So, in order to stay out of trouble and in possession of a whole and unmaimed body, he just completely stopped speaking to most people. Well, that wasn't completely true--it must have been her inherently sweet and generous nature that allowed Gabriella to ask after him through email once in a while, but Ryan assumed that these were out of some inexplicable feeling of duty and not because she actually cared. If he were Gabriella, he'd want Ryan dead and if any emails were sent they would be filled to the brim with vitriol and angry emoticons. 

Ryan still regretted, sometimes, breaking up with Chad. Chad had been the best boyfriend he'd had to date, and Ryan had loved him ridiculous amounts. Forever was so certain for Chad, and as soon as Ryan felt it too it had scared him off. After that, Chad had fallen off his radar, although Ryan still spared a thought for him every now and then.

Ryan climbed the stairs to his apartment, where, upon opening the door, he found James asleep on the couch. He rolled his eyes. Grinning, he kicked the back of the sofa as he walked by on his way to the bathroom. 

"Why'd you wake me up?" came James's whine through the door not a minute later.

"I couldn't resist," replied Ryan with a smirk. When he finished he came out of the bathroom door. James pushed himself off from the wall where he was leaning. Ryan met him halfway and their mouths met in a familiar kiss, the kind that made Ryan think of married people. 

Quickly, he pulled away. James was smiling at him, nothing amiss. "How was rehearsal?"

Ryan shrugged. "It was, you know. Rehearsal. Mostly I went over some of the choreography with the understudy."

"For this weekend? Good plan. Hey, wanna have a quick dinner before the plane takes off?"

"I guess," said Ryan, glancing quickly at his watch. He had an hour and a half before he was meant to meet with Kelsi. James took his hand and led him to the kitchen table, on which was already two table settings and a centerpiece of a brightly shining candle. It was one of the sort that old women often collect and it smelled like cinnamon. 

Ryan breathed it in--it was one of his favorite smells; his mother had not been old but she had definitely been a woman who collected candles, and had the dozens she had littered around the house lit every so often so the scents would waft under Ryan's bedroom door--and James laughed a little to himself. He apologized, claiming that he hadn't been able to find the kinds of candlesticks you were supposed to have at candlelit dinners, the kind that were long and white and needed to be put into a candelabrum.

"No, they're perfect. What's all this for?"

"Well, I figured this is the last time we'll have to ourselves before we're in Albuquerque and busy with your family and your old friends."

Ryan looked sharply at James. "We? I didn't--"

"No, it's okay! I told Sophie she was in charge of the bookstore for the weekend, it'll be fine. I want to meet the people you went to high school with." James looked at him, clearly excited about the next few days, his face full of eager innocence. Ryan was speechless and very much on his way to fuming.

"James, I don't remember asking you to come with me." Ryan said this as calmly as he could, though he imagined his voice sounded rather icy, like Sharpay's whenever she had had to speak to Gabriella during the war for the lead parts in _Twinkle Towne_.

"I know, but I assumed that you wouldn't be alone--and, you know, I know you don't like being alone for this sort of thing but you have too much pride to just come out and ask--"

"I'm going with Kelsi."

"I know, but--"

"James. Seriously. I didn't ask you to come. I... I hate to say it, but I really don't want you to." His boyfriend raised his eyebrows then. It was a quick and brief moment, but it had the (probably intended) effect of appearing incredibly hurt. Ryan felt a little bad then. "Look, I'm sorry--it's just that this is a part of my life that's long over. It has nothing to do with you, it's just that--"

"No, I understand. It's the same reason you never tell me when your mom or your sister is around. It's the same reason you never want to do anything with me and Kelsi at the same time. You're--you're ashamed of me or something, aren't you, Ryan?"

"No! What? James, no!" This remark blindsided Ryan. He hadn't even realized he'd ever done those things. James was exaggerating; he did have that tendency. Wasn't he exaggerating? 

"Why don't you want me to come with you to Albuquerque, then? What's the real reason? It's not like the reunion is some exclusive party or anything, I know your invitation says family and friends are welcome and everyone's probably going to bring their spouses."

Ryan didn't have much of a reply for him. He didn't have a real reason for not bringing James. He just didn't want to. Instead of telling James this, however, he blurted out angrily, "Yeah, except we're not fucking married, James."

"Yeah. I know. I realize that." James sounded even more hurt than he did before. "Probably because you'd have to introduce me to your parents then, but you know, I understand you don't want to do that for some reason."

"It's not that I don't want to!"

James shook his head and sighed. "Whatever, Ry. I was all excited and... Never mind. I guess--Whatever." He walked over to the couch where his coat was draped over the back and grabbed it. "Bye."

He didn't slam the door when he left. James would never do something like that. But Ryan was left with the feeling that James had really wanted to.

He looked over at the table, where the candle was still lit, food forgotten. Ryan sat down and took a few bites before he laid down his fork, feeling sick.

Well, this weekend was getting off to a great start.

~*~

_October 24th, 2017  
Albuquerque, New Mexico  
(East High School)_

Chad flicked his finger at a piece of lint on his pants. He continued flicking even when it was gone until Gabriella reached over soundlessly and grabbed his wrist. Chad gave a long-suffering sigh, sat up straight, and pretended to listen to Troy's recollection of his high school years as he illustrated them to both the portion of the class of 2008 which had decided to show up at this godforsaken event and the class of 2018 which had been forced to attend the assembly. Unfortunately, unlike most of the people gathered in the auditorium, Chad had already heard these stories dozens of times over the years and, frankly, he was exceedingly bored by them. It didn't help that he was nervous about seeing Ryan.

He began fidgeting again. As he shifted and switched positions so that his left leg was crossed over his right instead of vice versa, he caught the sight of a blond head in the corner of his eye. He turned quickly to see who it was--Martha's husband, Tyler, whom he had met earlier in the afternoon. Chad remembered once again that Ryan had dyed his hair brown for his part in _Singin' in the Rain_. He saw a fedora a few rows in front of him and craned his neck to see who it was--it was only a high school girl.

Chad glanced at Gabriella. She was smiling and nodding and laughing along with Troy's words, as if she hadn't heard these stories dozens of times more than Ryan. It was obvious she was enjoying all of this. Chad couldn't help wonder if part of that was because she, at least, was still married to and in love with her high school sweetheart. Maybe that fact helped sweeten the memory of high school. Or maybe Gabriella was completely insane.

Still, Chad couldn't help wishing that he had something like Troy and Gabriella had always had. Troy still blushed, sometimes, when Gabriella spoke to him, though Chad suspected now that was less because of teenage innocence and more a result of something more adult. He knew that the honeymoon effect had worn off for both of them by now, having played peacemaker at least twice for each of them during a fight; yet, they still went on dates after twelve years together. That was pretty impressive.

Chad wasn't going to go so far that he would say he wished he was that stupidly in love with someone. It was more the stability and the knowledge that there would always be someone there when you were in that mood when you simply _needed_ someone, for cuddling or to yell at or to have awesome sex with. And Chad hated living by himself. It was quiet and there was never anybody to laugh at the jokes he made when he watched television.

If he were being completely honest, Chad would say that he was lonely.

He gave another gusty sigh, the seventh in at least an hour. This was the first that didn't receive an exasperated look from Gabriella, however; she didn't hear it in the chair-scrapping, chat-filled chaos that followed Troy's speech. Chad followed everyone else and stood. Excusing himself, he began making his way towards the front of the room to talk to Taylor when he crashed into a tiny, familiar woman with short hair hidden under a pink cap and colorful bracelets that bounced and jangled against one another when she gestured animatedly with her hands as she spoke. "Sorry," muttered Chad.

"No problem," said the woman, looking up. "Chad!"

Chad widened his eyes and stopped dead in his tracks. "Whoa--dude--hey! How are you?"

"I'm good. What about you?" 

"I'm great but--" Kelsi's attention moved past his shoulder, and with no expression belying the bomb she was about to drop, chirped, "Oh, thanks, Ryan."

Chad's head whipped around. Ryan Evans was standing there, looking as if absolutely nothing was odd about this situation, holding two waterbottles which Chad assumed was what Kelsi had thanked him for. His hair was, indeed, brown, but those blue eyes had not changed at all.

"I... um. Hi. Ryan." Chad swallowed. He was shaking. Why was he shaking? _Stop shaking_. "How are you?"

Ryan shrugged. "I'm surviving. You know. How about you?"

Chad coughed. This was pretty much the worst adrenaline rush he had ever had, and for the worst reason. So he was in the vicinity of his high school boyfriend for the first time in a decade. So what? Time had passed. Things had changed. There was nothing between them anymore. But Ryan had no idea that Chad had pined after him for _years_ after they'd broken up. _He_ , at least, had no reason to feel awkward.

"Kelsi and I actually have to go, but you know what? We're having dinner tonight at the Pizza Express nearby," said Ryan. "Do you want to meet us there? It's not very classy, I know, but for old time's sake?"

Chad nodded. Evidently he had forgotten how to make words with his mouth.

"Seven, then?"

"See you," Chad managed to choke out. Ryan smiled a thin smile at him and then brushed past him to take Kelsi's arm and drag her somewhere else. Kelsi waved a quick see-you-later as she was ushered away.

Reunions were a bad plan, he decided. All they did was make you feel like you were in high school again.

~*~

Ryan pulled Kelsi out to the hallway and into the empty nearby music classroom before letting her go and sinking onto the piano bench, hiding his face in his hands. "That was weird? Right? That was totally weird!" 

Kelsi gently lay her hand on Ryan's arm. "It was a little weird."

"Why did I ask him to dinner? And to Pizza Express! That's where we used to go for, like, _dates_. I asked my high school ex-boyfriend to a place where we used to have dates! And make out!" Ryan groaned. 

"You'd better not make out with him while I'm around. I don't really want to see it."

This caused Ryan to choke on air. Actually, it wasn't so much the statement itself that caused him to do so and more the entirely too appealing image that popped into his head. He stared up at Kelsi, shaking his head frantically. "I--I don't want to make out with him at all! I have a boyfriend! I think I do, anyway." He swallowed, feeling incredibly guilty.

After the assembly--which had been totally pointless; Ryan had no idea why he chose to go since the only things even slightly worth attending were the party (with open bar) that would be going on tomorrow night, and _maybe_ the football game just before that, except Ryan couldn't care less about football, much less high school football, much less East High football since basketball was still the reigning sport here--Ryan and Kelsi went back to Ryan's house so Ryan could freak out a little more and Kelsi could take a desperately needed nap. At a quarter past six Ryan took a quick shower and by a quarter till both he and Kelsi were, if not completely ready, then a little more prepared. Well, Kelsi didn't have anything to worry about in the first place. But Ryan--though maybe he shouldn't have--couldn't _stop_ worrying.

They got to Pizza Express in more or less one piece and upon entrance chose a booth that was as far away as humanly possible from what had been "Chad and Ryan's" booth during the summer after senior year. While they were waiting for Chad to arrive and the waitress to come by and take their order, Kelsi gave Ryan an obnoxiously sympathetic look. "It'll be okay," she told him soothingly. "Breathe."

"I'm a horrible person. Chad probably hates me. I have no idea why he agreed to do this. I mean, I _dumped_ him, like, right after he told me he wanted to marry me. Maybe now, all these years later, he's going to take his revenge. he's going to take me behind the dumpster and murder me. Maybe he's going to pull up in a limo and throw eggs at me like I'm Drew Barrymore in _Never Been Kissed_."

"Breathe," repeated Kelsi. "I don't get the feeling that Chad is much of a murderer. Or an egg-thrower. Besides, that was, like, years ago."

Ryan tried to take her advice. It didn't work well.

A shadow appeared over the table. "Um. Hi," it said, coughing. Ryan looked up and there was Chad looking as awkward as Mrs. Darbus at a frat party. (Mrs. _Darbus_?)

Ryan waved at the empty seat next to Kelsi in what he hoped was a smooth gesture. He took another deep breath and smiled charmingly (again: so he hoped). "Hello. Sit down, Chad." He forced his voice into calmness.

Chad looked uncertain as he glanced at the booth. Kelsi flashed an encouraging smile, and because she was adorable and Kelsi, Chad apparently fell under the same spell she tried on everyone else. He sat. "So... what's up with you guys?" He still sounded odd, like there was something stuck in his throat and he had to force the words out. What was probably stuck in his throat was a lump of angry emotion.

Kelsi answered first, since Ryan was suddenly distracted by an image of Chad with a chainsaw in his hands, coming towards him. It was ridiculous (and kind of hysterical) but Ryan thought he would probably deserve it if Chad _did_ come for him with a chainsaw. Or even a dull knife. 

He bit his lip in nervousness all the way through Kelsi's somewhat lengthy summary of the last ten years of her life. When the waitress interrupted at one point and when she asked what kind of pizza pie they would like, Ryan automatically replied "pepperoni and olives" at the exact moment Chad said the same (Kelsi made a face but didn't try to change the order). They glanced at one another in surprise with a hint of something else that Ryan wasn't sure he could name. The gaze seemed to last at least a minute before Chad looked down at the table again. He never blushed, but even now Ryan could tell when he was embarrassed.

Kelsi barely waited a beat before she resumed her story, as if nothing had happened. When she ended, she asked Chad to tell his own story. 

The waitress came back with their food right in the middle of Chad's explanation for having dropped out of U of A's basketball system in the middle of junior year. Chad grew more and more animated as he spoke, having apparently decided that Ryan was not going to step all over his heart or something as he appeared to have feared earlier. Amazing, he knew, but Ryan was actually interested in what a middle school gym teacher had to say.

Not that Ryan was paying Chad's words all that much attention. Rather, he was busy staring at Chad's aged but still attractive features, at the strangely sexy goatee, at the way his biceps were defined and at the evidence of a set of fantastic abs underneath his t-shirt. Chad still wore stupid t-shirts with catchy slogans on them--he'd probably be wearing those shirts when he was ninety. He still had the best hair that Ryan had ever seen and those full lips that Ryan was drawn to like basketball players to Zeke's cookies (again with the high school-themed similes).

Tuning back in for Chad's enthusiastic speech about how excited he was about Troy and Gabriella's future baby, Ryan marveled at how much had happened to both of them since they had last spoken. There was so much that he'd missed. He remembered how when he and Chad had first started seeing each other, Ryan had thought that from that point on he'd never miss a single part of Chad's life. There had been that moment when he thought they would always be together.

He had been so wrong. It was a strange feeling. Not the being wrong part--he was often wrong about things, especially when they had to do with relationships--but the sudden feeling that maybe, just maybe, he'd missed out on a very great opportunity.

As he lifted a slice of pizza to his mouth, Ryan's heart was racing. On the surface, it was just pizza toppings and a once-frequented date spot. But despite Chad's possible (probable) desire to murder him, underneath everything else was the stirring suspicion that maybe a lot more than Pizza Express hadn't changed since he was eighteen.

~*~

It was vastly unlikely that Chad should be laughing near to the point of tears at something said by someone who had once, for all intents and purposes, broken his heart and then fed it to a pack of hungry wolves--and yet that's exactly what he was doing.

By the time the pizza had been fully devoured (mostly by Chad himself), he felt as if it were again July 2008, helped along by the fact that the restaurant was exactly the same as it had been ten years ago and that the classic pop station was quietly playing Britney Spears and Black Eyed Peas in the background. 

Ryan had definitely changed in more ways than his hair color, but there were some qualities that never would--the sparkly hat sitting by his hip on the booth, the mischievous but good-natured smile that graced his face whenever he teased, the utter joy that lit up his entire face whenever he was talking about something he loved ( _Singin' in the Rain_ was a particular theme that night), the borderline ludicrous campiness. And Chad couldn't help but notice that if Ryan's hair was different, his cheekbones weren't. Neither were his lean arms and the lips that Chad found himself wanting to kiss like he had thousands of times before, in a different era.

Wait.

That had to be the cheap pizza talking. And yet as Ryan spoke, Chad found he was growing more and more attracted to the idea. Chad came up with a million justifications for the possibility. After all, their past relationship and its sudden end were far behind them. They were more mature now. It would only be for one night. It wouldn't mean anything; they would probably go back to never speaking once Ryan returned to New York; Chad hadn't had sex in about six months, and he was kind of gagging for it.

The last one was the most pressing.

After they all chipped in to pay the check, Kelsi stood up and smiled at both of them. It was a sweet and encouraging smile with a hint of that old Kelsi trademark mix of knowing and mystery. "Well, I have to go, guys. I'm going to walk down to the boutique over on Franklin to meet Gabi--we're shopping for the party tomorrow night. I'll get a ride back to your house from there, 'kay, Ryan?" She took her purse and with a final wave, disappeared out the door.

Ryan shook his head in exasperation, ostensibly at Kelsi. Then the corners of his lips turned up in a smile as he turned to Chad.

"Do you remember how we used to try to get into the Desert Rose when we were kids?" The Desert Rose was a bar not far from Pizza Express. Chad had spent many an hour plotting with Ryan and sometimes with the other Wildcats about ways to get in, and they had even once had a fake ID, but the bouncer had never bought it.

"Yeah?"

"We're of age now."

Chad grinned. "What are we waiting for? Let's go."

~*~

The Desert Rose was unexciting, as far as bars go. That didn't stop Chad and Ryan from somehow managing to have a good time.

"Dude," said Chad as he watched Ryan take a shot. Ryan tried not to cough as it slid down his throat. "Weren't you, like, driving?" 

Ryan grinned, tears in his eyes from the struggle against the sting in his esophagus. "I can take a camel back."

"Where are you even going to get a camel?"

"I'm sure I could find one." Ryan shrugged. "We live in the desert after all." He kept a straight face for about two seconds before he burst out into laughter. Chad joined him, and Ryan wasn't quite sure why it was the funniest thing ever, but it was. They leaned against each other, their arms wrapped around one another, and they laughed until they couldn't breathe anymore. Ryan wasn't really that drunk but the alcohol in addition to realizing that Chad was just as fabulous to hang out with as he'd always been was making him feel incredibly giddy.

"Maybe we should get a cab," said Ryan at a lull in the laughter. Chad nodded and made the call, and when he hung up he lifted his head and said, "I gotta pee."

"I'll go with you." Ryan wiggled his eyebrows at him.

Chad narrowed his eyes at him but couldn't keep a straight face. "Are we some of my middle school girls?"

"I gotta pee too, moron." This was a lie. Ryan didn't really have to pee, but he didn't want to be left out here all by himself. Maybe he was a middle school girl. He dazedly followed Chad--only looking at Chad's ass a _little_ bit, even though it was very much so an amazing ass, even now. 

He had an idea. Stepping quickly in front of Chad (causing him to trip) as they reached the entrance to the bathroom, Ryan threw open the door and peeked his head in. There were only two stalls and three urinals, and not a single one of them was occupied. Ryan looked back at Chad and with a grin on his face that he couldn't help, Ryan grabbed Chad's wrist and pulled him inside, all but throwing him against the door as it slammed shut. He put one hand on either of Chad's shoulders and pinned him there.

There was fleeting terror in his eyes but that disappeared as soon as Ryan nudged his hips against Chad's and it became clear just what Ryan intended to do. That was when Chad leaned forward and crushed his lips against Ryan's before Ryan even had a chance. Their mouths sloppily met again and again, and there was absolutely no finesse, no sweetness, nothing similar to what James offered when Ryan kissed him. This was messy and dirty and a little tipsy, and it made Ryan curl his fingers into the fabric of Chad's stupid t-shirt as Chad's tongue pushed its way into Ryan's mouth. Ryan met it stroke for stroke. He nibbled on Chad's bottom lip, and then leaned down to mouth along Chad's jaw. Chad made a tiny sound and Ryan wanted to grin but his mouth was otherwise occupied. Ryan had never known he missed Chad's lips and the way Chad liked to suck on Ryan's tongue, or the way he moaned when Ryan sucked on the skin just under his ear. 

The bartender knocked on the door, startling both of them. "Your cab's here."

"My apartment," gasped Chad. "Bed?"

"Yes, yes, yes," was Ryan's reply, and they both forgot their original reason for going to the bathroom. If peeing had, indeed, been their actual reason.

~*~

It was sometimes fortunate that Chad did live alone, it occurred to him, because otherwise they would have woken up somebody for sure.

The cab ride had been mostly uneventful. As uneventful as frantic backseat make-outs ever were. The cabbie had looked somewhat unexcited by the prospect of two men going at it in his car, but he didn't say a word and when Ryan paid the fare, he even gave them a little wave and told them to be safe. Which of course sent them into peals of laughter until Chad couldn't stand it and he had to kiss Ryan again and he was pressing Ryan against his front door. "I can't find my keys," he mumbled, searching his pockets even as he was licking the underside of Ryan's chin. 

Ryan chuckled. "I mean, you're pretty distract--" He was cut off by Chad's kiss. Recovering slightly a few moments later, Chad reached into his front coat pocket and pulled out his keys. It took him another several seconds to figure out how to put it in the keyhole, and then finally they were nearly falling over themselves to get in. Chad walked Ryan backwards toward the couch, on which they fell together in a tangle of limbs. Chad, fighting for the leverage that would allow him to straddle Ryan's hips, knocked his elbow against the coffee table which made him laugh even more although it hurt, but he found that he didn't care when Ryan wrapped his fingers around the curls at the nape of his neck and pulled his head down to kiss him again.

It suddenly grew less frantic, and there were fewer giggles than there were moans and panting. Chad ran his hands over Ryan's sides underneath his button-up shirt, making Ryan shiver. Chad decided that Ryan shivering was his favorite thing _ever_ and vowed to make it happen as often as he could tonight. Clumsily he began pulling at the buttons, trying to pull it off, and only after Ryan began to help did he succeed. He threw the shirt over the arm of the couch, and it soared over towards the entertainment center where it hit a picture frame and knocked it down. There was the tell-tale crash of glass shattering but Chad said, "Fuck it," and pulled off his own t-shirt. 

Ryan's laugh was dark and sexy. Chad bucked his hips against Ryan's and Ryan let out a throaty moan. "Should we--bed?" gasped Chad.

"No," Ryan replied. "Let's--right here--"

And the thought of that alone meant it was Chad's turn to shiver. 

He reached down to undo the fly of Ryan's jeans, finding that was easier than the tiny buttons that lined Ryan's shirt. "Take them off, take them off," he moaned. It probably sounded like he was whining. He didn't much care.

"Lift up," said Ryan, and Chad changed positions so that he was no longer fully straddling Ryan, his hands clutching the arm of the couch, one knee lodged between Ryan's torso and the back of the couch, and his other leg holding him up on the other side. Ryan lifted his hips and reached his hands under Chad--brushing against Chad's dick the tiniest bit and Chad didn't _want_ to buck his hips again but he couldn't help it--so that he could pull his jeans and boxer briefs down in the same motion. Then he reached up to do the same for Chad.

It was cold in the living room but as Chad settled back so that he was sitting on top of Ryan's thighs and Ryan sat up and leaned forward to suck at Chad's nipple, which had reacted to the cold air, he found he didn't much care about that either. It wasn't just that this was the first time he'd had sex with someone other than himself in so long. Well, it was partly that. But it was something more. It was the person he was with. It was the knowledge that even though Chad had done a lot with Ryan back when they had been teenagers, it would be about ten times better now that they both knew what they were doing. It was the desperation and the frantic feeling about it, like they had both craving this for years. Maybe they had and just never realized it.

With that thought, Chad looked down at Ryan and found that Ryan was gazing up at him. Slowly, without breaking eye contact, Chad reached behind Ryan's ears and pushed his fingers into the hair there. He leaned forward and pressed a kiss to Ryan's forehead, his eyes fluttering closed. He tilted his head down and let his lips brush against Ryan's nose and cheek before they met Ryan's own. They kissed softly, in a quiet, uncertain kind of way, and it was such a change from their kisses just mere minutes ago that Chad felt dizzy. 

He felt Ryan wrap a fist around Chad's dick and begin to pump his hand up and down with agonizing slowness. Chad whined quietly and Ryan must have gotten the idea because he began to go a little faster. Chad drew his fingers down Ryan's arm until Chad's hand joined Ryan's and he showed Ryan just how fast he wanted it. They didn't say a single word to one another, but Chad did lean his forehead against Ryan's as he got closer and closer until all he wanted to do was _come_ , and he hoped he would come hard, and he hoped Ryan would see what he had been missing for ten years. 

Ryan was pressing his lips against every part of Chad's skin that he could reach--his collarbone, the juncture between his neck and shoulder, underneath his chin, the vee just above his armpit. When he stuck his tongue in Chad's ear and sucked on his earlobe, mumbling all manner of incomprehensible but clearly dirty things, Chad was gone, spurting white all over their stomachs and thighs.

When he was done, Ryan licked his lips and ran a fingertip through Chad's come, then lifted it to his mouth and wrapped his tongue around it.

Chad let out a strangled groan and climbed down from atop Ryan's legs to kneel down at dick level. He stared at Ryan's erection and licked his lips. It twitched and Chad, grinning, leaned forward to wrap his lips around the head. He reached forward and wrapped his fist around the base much like Ryan had done for Chad. He licked up and down the shaft and paid special attention to a vein running up the side. It was oddly familiar though it had been a very long time. 

A few minutes into it, Chad pulled his head back and sucked at the head of Ryan's dick. Hard. " _Chad_ ," moaned Ryan, bucking his hips so that Chad almost choked. Chad held them down with his free hand before he continued sucking and when Chad grasped a little tighter and licked the vein again, it was Ryan's turn to come, letting out a long, low moan. It was difficult but Chad managed to swallow it all down before he climbed back up onto the couch to give Ryan a filthy, messy kiss. It was almost dirty enough and long enough to ignite desire in Chad once again but Ryan pulled away first and said with a smirk, "Maybe we should clean up."

Chad shrugged and stood up to get a couple of towels from the closet. Ryan was standing when he came back. "I should go..." he said as he took the proffered fuzzy blue towel and began to wipe himself down.

Chad did the same. "No," he said, perhaps too quickly. "I mean, dude--you're still drunk. Aren't you? I arm. I mean, I am. Stay here?"

Ryan appeared to consider this for all of seven seconds. Then he threw a hand up in the air. "Why the hell not?" He lifted his other hand to take Chad's. "Where's your bed, Wildcat?"

"Don't fucking call me Wildcat," replied Chad as he threw the towel in the general direction of the hallway and led Ryan towards his bedroom.

~*~

In the morning, when Chad woke up to find that Ryan was still beside him, smiling sleepily as he slowly awakened, Chad realized that maybe he wasn't in love with Ryan anymore but if given time he could remember how to be.

"Coffee?" 

Ryan stretched and yawned. "Coffee would be awesome."


	3. bribitribbit

_October 27th, 2017  
Albuquerque, New Mexico_

When Ryan finally left Chad's apartment at ten that morning, after a second round of pretty awesome sex, he was in full freakout mode. It was not exactly proper for one to have a major fight with one's boyfriend, then attend one's ten year high school reunion, meet up with one's high school ex-boyfriend, and then get drunk with said ex-boyfriend and then _sleep with him_.

...Twice.

This wasn't a Judd Apatow movie. Especially since it was unlikely that Judd Apatow would make a good movie about two gay men.

Oh God. James was going to kill him. _Kelsi_ was going to kill him. Chad was going to kill him when he realized that Ryan hadn't meant it at all.

Except maybe he did mean it, a little bit.

Okay, seriously?

Ryan was going to rot in hell.

Ryan Evans to Kelsi Nielson, Sharpay Evans  
10-26-2017  
12:16PM  
_Meet me at sbux on acorn st? Emergency!!!!!_

Kelsi Nielson to Ryan Evans  
10-26-2017  
12:17PM  
_i think i already know what this will be about... meet u in 5_

Sharpay Evans to Ryan Evans  
10-26-2017  
12:19PM  
_b right there. also thx 4 acknowledging i exist_

The Starbucks on Acorn and Thornton was relatively unchanged and familiar, or at least as familiar as a corporate franchise can be, anyway. It was the one Ryan and Sharpay had popped into every morning during high school for lattes, and where Ryan had met the first guy he'd ever been on a date with (Stephen, tenth grade--it had ended not so much terribly as awkwardly). Now it was where Ryan sat with an untouched iced coffee by his wrist as he nervously ran his fingers along the brim of his dark green fedora, which, for once, was in his hands rather than on his head.

"This better be good." Sharpay's voice was affectionate but laced with sarcasm as she sat down in the seat next to him. A furry Shih Tzu--Gurl, a replacement for Boi who had died two years prior--peeked out from the enormous yellow tote that Sharpay set on the ground.

"Sharpie?" said a tired-sounding barista over the intercom. Sharpay ignored it. Ryan smirked.

"Hey, Shar. How's it going?"

"Sharp...aye?"

Sharpay took a deep breath and stood up. "I'll be better after I get my coffee." A moment and a rather loud confrontation later Sharpay had gone and returned with a grande latte (with soy milk and one and a half Splenda, if Ryan knew his sister).

She sat down and her expression transformed into seriousness. "Okay. Tell me. Deets. Now."

"We have to wait for Kelsi."

Sharpay raised her eyebrows in surprise. If Ryan was correct, Sharpay (who had refused to come to a single reunion event) hadn't seen Kelsi in about as long as Ryan had seen Chad. Well, before last night anyway. Ryan wondered if he should warn Sharpay that Kelsi was no longer the tiny meek mouse she'd been in high school--

Kelsi always had been impressively good at timing.

"Hey guys! What song is this?" She nodded her head up at the speaker playing moody coffee shop music above them as she pulled out a chair and sat.

Ryan shrugged, grinning. "Hey, Kels. What's up? Anything new in your life?" They'd always asked this upon seeing each other, ever since they'd been at Juilliard, since at that point they saw each other multiple times every day.

Kelsi beamed back, rolling her eyes, and then turned to Sharpay. "Hey Sharpay! How are you?"

Sharpay's mouth dropped open. Kelsi had never directly greeted Sharpay in her _life_. But Kelsi was a grown-up version of herself, not to mention the twenty-eight-year-old winner of a Tony for best musical. She wasn't exactly scared of people like Sharpay anymore. She had to deal with them every day of her life.

Ryan smirked and Sharpay's gaze flickered between him and then back to Kelsi's open, warm face. Finally she settled on a confused and simple but short "hi" before she took a long sip of her drink.

Kelsi turned to Ryan, exchanging a sly look with him. "What's up, Ryan? Why'd you want to meet us?"

"Okay... so you know how Chad and I sort of had a date last night?"

" _What_?" blurted out Sharpay. "You didn't tell me that!"

"It was kind of sudden," admitted Ryan. He rubbed the back of his neck. He had a major headache although he really hadn't had as much to drink as he'd pretended. "Kelsi and I saw him in the crowd at some assembly the high school had... and then we had dinner at Pizza Express--"

" _No_!" Sharpay interjected, gasping.

Ryan nodded solemnly as he continued, "And then we went to a bar. And... I ended up sleepingwithhim."

It was Kelsi's turn to gasp, although if Ryan didn't know better hers might have seemed a little sarcastic. "You had _sex_ with him?"

"Yup." Ryan heaved a deep sigh. "I cheated on my boyfriend of fourteen months with my high school ex. Whom I haven't seen in ten years. And who still gives amazing blow jobs."

Sharpay choked on her latte. "Hello, ew?"

Kelsi just laughed. "So what are you going to do?"

Ryan had no idea how to answer that question. He'd kind of been hoping that either Kelsi or Sharpay--or both of them, working together or something (as the world crashed down around their feet)--would have an appropriate solution. At the moment, he was stuck somewhere between "solution: break up with James and stay in Albuquerque forever for more orgasms!" and "solution: go back to New York and never think about Chad Danforth again." He knew neither was going to work. So, yes--what was he going to _do_?

"I have _no idea_ ," he said with a gusty sigh. All right, maybe he was being a little dramatic, but in his mind an event like this definitely warranted drama.

Kelsi considered this, a thoughtful expression on her face. "Okay... what if you tell James what you did, apologize to both him and Chad, and see what happens from there?"

"Why would he _tell James_?" said Sharpay, her voice both unnaturally high-pitched and horrified.

"Because they're in a loving, honest relationship?" Kelsi rolled her eyes and turned back to Ryan. "Believe me, Ryan, you won't be able to pull one over on James anyway."

"He'll _hate_ me," moaned Ryan. "I don't really want a boyfriend who will hate me forever."

Kelsi mumbled something that was probably along the lines of "should have thought about that _before_ , now shouldn't you have?" which, if Ryan was honest with himself, he probably deserved. She added more loudly, "It's probably a better idea to be truthful, Ry."

"No." That was from Sharpay, who, in a moment of utter cliché, had pulled out her nail file and was now using it. "It's a terrible idea. You're right, James will hate you, and when Danforth finds out you have a boyfriend--considering he's probably still got that Wildcat sensibility--he'll probably hate you too."And what do you have even if Chad isn't angry? You have a life in New York. Danforth's life is here. It's a lose/lose situation." As she spoke, Ryan realized that she was a hundred percent correct.

"So what do _you_ think I should do, Sharpay?" He knew there was a desperate tone in his voice, but he couldn't help it. He was pretty freaked out, more than he'd been in a long time.

Sharpay looked strangely vulnerable, as Ryan had seen her only so many times before, as she sighed and said, "I don't know, Ry. Maybe the best plan is _don't_ tell James. Just go back to him and remind him why he loves you, even though he doesn't even realize he forgot."

"And Chad?" asked Kelsi, rather sharply. For Kelsi, anyway.

Ryan felt sick. He knew what Sharpay was going to suggest, and he said it before she could. "Wash that man right out of my hair?"

Sharpay looked truly contrite as she nodded. "It's all you can do, really. I mean, if James is the one you want to be with. And he is, isn't he?"

Sometimes Ryan was bored with James. Sometimes James got on his nerves. Sometimes they fought, like they had the night before he'd come back to New Mexico. But Ryan loved James. He did.

Ryan nodded solemnly at his sister, glancing at Kelsi. There was a tightness to her mouth that he rarely saw and her eyes were blazing, but she didn't say a word. She just shrugged her shoulders and tilted her head in a way that said "What can you do?"

He took another deep breath. "Anyone got Jet Blue's number? I guess I'm flying back tonight. There's no way I'm staying when there's a chance I'll run into Chad again."

~*~

_October 27th, 2017  
Albuquerque, New Mexico_

Chad had been planning to skip the concert/dance (East High had gotten a tiny band that had had exactly one hit in 2008 to come and play for them) that was planned, but what with Ryan's assurance that he'd be there and Gabriella and Troy's unrelenting enthusiasm about all things reunion-related, he'd been obligated to go anyway.

And now he was incredibly unhappy. That was what happens when you got your hopes up, he was beginning to understand.

It started an hour and a half into the party, when it was clear that most people who were planning to show had shown (and getting quite drunk off the bar that had been provided), and though Chad had played catch-up with just about every Wildcat from the basketball team--including Zeke, who apparently now had his own show on the Food Network--he had seen hair nor hide of Ryan.

Taylor was busy discussing the accessibility of various exotic dishes or something with Zeke. Chad tapped her on the shoulder. "Sorry--I'm just gonna go take a walk around, okay?

She smiled at him quickly in acquiescence before returning to her _scintillating_ conversation, Chad was sure, before he took off for the bar himself and ordered a drink. He leaned against the counter as he waited, surveying the gym. It was new and completely remodeled. It made Chad feel disoriented.

He spotted Kelsi coming towards him, an uncharacteristic but hard-to-place expression on her face. Chad frowned. "Hey," he said when she was near enough to hear over the terrible band. "What's up? Have you seen Ryan?"

"I don't think he's coming," she said vaguely before ordering something for herself. "Sorry."

"Oh," said Chad blankly. "Did... I do something?"

Kelsi shook her head, looking down at her shoes and then back up at him. "Hey, Chad, can I ask you a question? It's kind of personal and I'm kind of tipsy... it's not the kind of thing I would normally ask."

Chad's frown grew deeper, but still he said, "Shoot."

"Okay... Chad, how many times have you been in love in your life?"

He could feel his eyebrows fly up, a reflexive response. He almost didn't answer--but then he considered. After a few minutes, in which both Chad's and Kelsi's drinks ended up in their respective hands, he firmly said, "Twice."

It was Kelsi's turn to be surprised. "Twice?"

Chad nodded. "Yeah. The first time was Penny Courtos in eighth grade. I adored her. She had no idea I existed, of course."

He got an encouraging smile for his troubles. "Who was the second?"

Chad kept as much control over his voice as he could when he replied in a low voice, "This is going to sound stupid--but it was Ryan." His heart was beating fast. He'd never told anyone this before. "I mean, obviously I've dated people since, even seriously." There was Evan, for instance, and Marcus. Both perfectly nice, but Chad had ended both relationships pretty quickly. And Trisha had lasted all of junior year but Chad never thought he was in love with her, really. "But they never measured up to Ryan. Or maybe just the idea I've always had of Ryan."

Kelsi nodded. "Yeah. That's what I thought."

"Pretty pathetic, huh?"

"No. Not at all." Kelsi took a gulp of her drink and then her face grew serious again. "Good luck, Chad." She reached up and patted him on the shoulder before walking away.

Chad knew at that moment that Ryan wasn't going to come through. And at that moment Chad also knew that this time he wasn't going to just sit there and let Ryan give up like that.

~*~

_October 31st, 2017  
New York City, New York_

Ryan _could_ have gone back to the show the night after he returned from New Mexico, but he decided he deserved another day to wallow. Even though this wasn't that a big deal. He had... you know, only cheated on his boyfriend with the dude he'd been in love with in high school (and who was, in fact, completely responsible for Ryan's present overuse of the word "dude").

Okay, so he was eating Half-Baked Ben & Jerry's out of the carton and watching reruns of the nineteenth season of _Degrassi: Next Generation_ , dammit, and nobody was going to judge him for it.

The doorbell buzzed. Assuming it was more annoying trick-or-treaters, Ryan scowled at it, as if that would do a single thing, and then turned back to the television, where Molly Q. had discovered that her stepmother was pregnant with her boyfriend's child. Then he scowled at the television for having such a stupid plot. He was raising the hand holding the remote to change the channel to something not quite so trashy when the doorbell buzzed again. He ignored it a second time, and promptly his phone began ringing. His ringtone was an old song from college--"I Gotta Feeling" by the Black Eyed Peas--and he yelled "It is _not_ going to be a good night" at it before he answered.

"Hello?" his voice came out froggy. He wondered how long it had been since he'd last spoken to anyone besides the guy who'd delivered his Chinese takeout this morning at four.

"Ryan Evans, what the hell is wrong with you? Let us in."

Ryan sighed. It was Mattie and considering they were attached at the hip and had been for six years, she had probably brought Kelsi along with her. Begrudgingly, he stood to let them in.

Mattie barreled past him when he opened the door, Kelsi not too far behind. Kelsi was a foreboding mass of black leather, while Mattie (who was three inches taller) wore a slinky purple dress: Boris and Natasha. Mattie/Natasha stopped in the middle of the living room, hands on her hips, as she surveyed Ryan's squalor.

"This is pretty gross," commented Kelsi, looking over her shoulder at Ryan as he closed the door.

"'Pretty gross' doesn't even cover it, baby," replied Mattie, turning to Ryan. "I repeat: what the hell is _wrong_ with you? James is the best boyfriend anyone could ask for! Man, _I'd_ ask for him if I could!" She pushed her fingers through her impossibly sleek hair--a wig, since she actually had frizzy curls--and hardly gave him a second before she added, "Well?"

Ryan never knew how to talk to Mattie when she was like this. He gazed at her face and asked, "Did you get your nose pierced?"

She suddenly beamed and said, "Yes! Do you like--hey. Hey. _Answer me_. It's my night off and Kelsi and I were getting ready for Tanya's Halloween party--which I can't believe you're not going to, by the way--and then Kels tells me you _cheated on James_ and now I have to waste my night trying to fix you up."

This prompted a glare for Kelsi and a roll of the eyes for overdramatic Mattie. "You don't have to fix me up," he told her. "I'm fine. I mean, I'm wallowing a little. But I'm fine."

"Wallowing! James should be the one wallowing!"

Ryan was filled with a sense of deepest unhappiness as he admitted, "James doesn't know that yet."

" _What_? You haven't even talked to him?"

"I was getting around to it!" Ryan knew he sounded defensive, but he couldn't help it. How could Mattie say that like he didn't care about James or something?

Okay, maybe it seemed like he didn't, but he _did_. And that was what made it ten times worse.

Mattie grabbed Ryan's cell phone off the coffee table and slapped it into his palm. "Call him. Right now."

Ryan looked at Kelsi, who gave him a look that communicated a mix of "I'm really sorry, please excuse her" and "you know you deserve this, right?" He rolled his eyes and pulled up James' phone number. He hesitated the teeniest bit before hitting dial.

The phone rang four times before someone on the other end picked up. "I'm sorry," blurted out James right away.

Ryan was completely taken aback. "What? You--what?"

"I'm so sorry, Ryan. I should have never yelled at you. I'll make it up to you."

"Um," replied Ryan. He had no idea what to say. What do you say when you call your boyfriend to invite him to a meal where you will tell him that you cheated on him, and he's the first one to apologize? Who did that even _happen_ to? "Uh--okay. It's fine, James. Really. How about, um, we meet for lunch tomorrow? We can talk then."

"That sounds great. Meet you at Jupiter Café? Noon?"

"Yeah. I'll meet you there."

Mattie and Kelsi were both looking expectantly at him when he hung up. "Well?" said Kelsi.

"He... apologized. To _me_."

"What?" Mattie looked as if she couldn't figure out whether she was angry at Ryan for this or not. "Why?"

"For the fight we had before I left. I guess he felt like it was his fault."

"Was it?" As she spoke, Kelsi stared at an empty bottle of whiskey as if she very much wanted to put in the recycling bin but refused to clean up someone else's mess. "I mean, you didn't really give me any details."

"I'll clean it up, Kelsi. Stop judging me." Ryan took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, rubbing the back of his neck. "No, it wasn't really his fault. I mean, it was the result of a lot of pent-up tension. You know."

"Okay. Well. So you're having lunch tomorrow?" Ryan nodded. "And you'll clean up?" Ryan nodded again. "And you're fine? You don't need a shoulder to cry on?"

"Not at this particular moment. I might need one when James breaks up with me."

"I don't know if you get a shoulder when you deserve the break-up," Mattie interjected.

"Mattie, shut up and be nice. Okay, Ryan. We're going. You're sure you're fine?"

Was he? He was still kind of freaking out... but now he had a plan. Kind of. "Yes, I'm fine. Go back to partying or whatever you were up to before you came and saved the day. Shoo."

Kelsi kissed him on the cheek as she followed Mattie out of the apartment. The kiss was accompanied with a wink, and Ryan inexplicably felt a hell of a lot better.

~*~

The Jupiter Café was actually one of Ryan's favorite places in the city. It was unfortunate that he knew it was about to be ruined forever.

Ryan was stirring a straw in his chocolate milkshake and absently watching the door, thinking about he was probably about to break up with his boyfriend... and somehow that morphed into a series of images of Chad looking up at him through his eyelashes and running his finger along the shell of Ryan's ear and leaning forward to kiss him hard--

"Ryan!" James was sitting in the seat across from him, smiling at him, the dimple in his left cheek hard to resist. He looked as if he were genuinely happy to see Ryan, and Ryan automatically felt like the world's biggest creep.

"Hey, James. What's up?"

"You already got a milkshake, no fair!"

Ryan rolled his eyes. "You're lactose intolerant."

"Lactose intolerance does not prevent hunger, my friend." James bit his lip and paused for a second before he launched into an apology for not being understanding and attacking Ryan and a million other things that Ryan felt like were all _his_ fault. He lasted about three minutes before he had to interrupt.

"James--don't. I mean. Stop." This won Ryan a confused expression, and Ryan sighed. He continued, "I need to tell you something."

James looked even more bewildered. "What's wrong?"

"I... okay, so over my weekend in Albuquerque I met up with a lot of old friends. It was, um, a lot of fun." He was fishing. He felt truly and absolutely horrible. James' frown grew deeper. "I also met up with, um, Chad. You know. My boyfriend from high school?"

James nodded slowly. "And?"

"And... I slept with him." Ryan said this quickly, as if the faster he said it the less of a douche he was. "And--I'm really sorry, James. I feel terrible about it. It should not have happened. If you want to stay with me, it never will again. Please forgive me."

James was looking at Ryan like he'd grown another head. "You... had sex with a guy you haven't seen in ten years? After seeing him for, what, ten minutes?"

"Well, I'd spent a lot of the day with him..."

"I really don't even know what to say, Ryan."

"Neither do I, to be honest."

They were both quiet. James looked unhappy and thoughtful. Ryan felt unhappy and couldn't stop thinking. About how he did love James, though maybe not the way he should. About how he kind of wished he'd stayed in Albuquerque. About what would happen if he did go back to New Mexico--would he see Chad again? Would Chad kiss him again? Could they be together again? Maybe it had been years but it couldn't be that different, could it?

Normal people didn't have these thoughts, did they?

James voice was almost too quiet to break Ryan's line of thought, but he managed it. "I don't think this is going to work. I can't... date someone who would do something like that without, like, discussing it first or something. I don't know."

Ryan nodded. "I don't blame you." He licked his lips nervously. "Does this mean we're breaking up?"

"Yeah. I think it does."

Ryan didn't even try to stop him as his now ex-boyfriend stood up, pulled on his coat, and walked out of the café, hands in pockets, without another sound. And the fact that he didn't even try told Ryan all he needed to know.

He wished James a good wallowing session.

~*~

November 2nd, 2017  
To: gabs@earthworks.net  
From: ryevans@earthworks.net  
Subject: URGENT

_What is Chad's email address?_

_Ryan_

November 2nd, 2017  
To: ryevans@earthworks.net  
From: gabs@earthworks.net  
Subject: Re: URGENT

_Depends on why you want to know. ;)_

_Love,  
Gabriella (and baby!)_

November 3rd, 2017  
To: gabs@earthworks.net  
From: ryevans@earthworks.net  
Subject: Re: URGENT

_I think it's time we got back in touch. I think I owe it to him, for some reason._

November 3rd, 2017  
To: ryevans@earthworks.net  
From: gabs@earthworks.net  
Subject: Re: URGENT

_You be careful. It's triplethreat14@earthworks.net._

_Should I tell you to break a leg or something?_

_Love,  
Gabriella (and baby!)_

November 2nd, 2017  
To: gabs@earthworks.net  
From: ryevans@earthworks.net  
Subject: Re: URGENT

_All I can tell you is that it's disarming that I am getting emails from your unborn child as well as from you._

_:)_

November 3rd, 2017  
To: triplethreat14@earthworks.net  
From: ryevans@earthworks.net  
Subject: I can't believe you still have the same stupid email address

_Hey Chad,_

_Finally got your email from Gabi and thought I'd shoot you a note. I didn't realize I would be writing to the reigning triple threat of East High. Good job, dude. Who knew you'd still be rocking it after all these years?_

_I'm sorry about ditching you early._

_Write back,  
Ryan_

November 4th, 2017  
To: ryevans@earthworks.net  
From: triplethreat14@earthworks.net  
Subject: Re: I can't believe you still have this stupid email address

_Dude!_

_I have told Gabriella_ multiple times _that she was to give this email address to absolutely NOBODY under ANY circumstances. Either I'm going to have to murder you or her. Which do you think it should be? You, the rising Broadway star; her, the four months pregnant star of our hearts? It's a hard choice._

_Seriously, though, this email is really supposed to be for, like, Facebook notifications and stuff. Since I'm old-fashioned and still get them emailed to me--I just can't deal with that many texts in one day. I guess I'll make an exception for you... but if you ever want to catch me at work (when it's lunch or something, I mean), my REAL email is cdanforth@emhs.edu._

_See, I can be practical. How are you?_

_Chad_

November 4th, 2017  
To: triplethreat14@earthworks.net  
From: ryevans@earthworks.net  
Subject: Re: I can't believe you still have this stupid email address

_Chad:_

_You should always choose the Broadway star._

_I'm good. I'm ridiculously TIRED, though. They never tell you how hard being the star is. (Okay, too many uses of the word "star" in one email. I apologize.) I've been at rehearsal all day and I have to wake up early because the cast is going to be on the Today show, and so are a few of the kids from the Drama Club. I'm excited, but I would really like to sleep too._

_I can't believe you ended up a middle school teacher, by the way. Whatever happened to our shining basketball star? (There I go again.) I'm kidding, I think it's great. :) Don't let those kids down, Danforth. Not that I know a single one of them. Also, I refuse to use your real email. Triplethreat14 is waaay more amusing._

_So I've come to Albuquerque. When are you coming to New York to see me?_

_Ryan_

November 6th, 2017  
To: ryevans@earthworks.net  
From: triplethreat14@earthworks.net  
Subject: Re: I can't believe you still have this stupid email address

_Ryan,_

_You'd choose yourself over a pregnant woman? You are just as heartless as I'd always thought! (Okay, maybe not really.)_

_(And don't apologize for using the word "star" too much. We all know that at the very least, it's the most descriptive word when it comes to you.)_

_Ohhh, the Today show. Of course! I watched, by the way. I Tivoed it and watched it while eating my TV dinner. It was a big affair. You looked fantastic, so did the cast, so did the kids. And speaking of the kids, did you know Georgie Frank is actually in one of my gym classes? I had no idea she was into that stuff--I mean, I signed the release form to let her go to New York for the week and all, but I didn't realize it was for that. Way cool, man. Way cool. (My students make fun of me all the time for saying "way" as a modifier. Also, I can't believe I even know what a modifier is. One of the only of my co-workers I like is an English teacher.)_

_I'm also amazed I turned out to be a middle school teacher--not as amazed as I am that you're, like, a headliner on, like, 57th Street. It's pretty awesome, man._

_(Awesome, dude, and man: also all things that my students think are hilarious.)_

_So, tell me... why was it you never came to the reunion dance?_

_Chad_

November 7th, 2017  
To: kelsinielson@regentsagency.com  
CC: foreverfabulous@earthworks.net  
From: ryevans@earthworks.net  
Subject: Fw: Re: I can't believe you still have this stupid email address

_Read the attached. WHAT DO I SAY?_

November 7th, 2017  
To: ryevans@earthworks.net  
From: foreverfabulous@earthworks.net  
Subject: Re: Fw: Re: I can't believe you still have this stupid email address

_You're emailing CHAD DANFORTH? And FLIRTING with him?????????? Ryan Evans, what did I tell you???? It will only end in heartbreak!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!_

_Gurl says hi._

_Kisses,  
Sharpay_

November 7th, 2017  
To: ryevans@earthworks.net  
From: kelsinielson@regentsagency.com  
Subject: Re: Fw: Re: I can't believe you still have this stupid email address

_Tell the truth. If it doesn't work out, it wasn't meant to be. Mattie wants me to tell you that she has not forgiven you yet. Secretly, I think she wishes she was dating James._

_Good luck. You know how much I've always been rooting for you two._

_< 3,  
Kelsi_

November 8th, 2009  
To: triplethreat14@earthworks.net  
From: ryevans@earthworks.net  
Subject: Re: I can't believe you still have this stupid email address

_Chad:_

_I was dating someone when I slept with you. I needed to go home and figure it out. I love him, but not the way I should have. We decided it wasn't working out. I'm sorry I didn't tell you, and I'm sorry I missed the party. I hope you'll forgive me._

_This was kind of stupid to do through email, and I would have rather done it by phone or face-to-face. But we know the second one's not an option... what's your phone number?_

_Ryan_

November 9th, 2009  
To: ryevans@earthworks.net  
From: triplethreat14@earthworks.net  
Subject: Re: I can't believe you still have this stupid email address

_My phone number is 821-555-6745._

_Call me later? :)_

_Chad_  


~*~

_December 27th, 2017  
Albuquerque, New Mexico_

The emails continued, longer and more affectionate by day. The emails ranged from empty observations to actual issues to one-liner jokes to links to the absolute stupidest YouTube videos they could find. After a bit of this, the emails turn into daily IM conversations and texting each other stupid pictures all day long. Ryan was still the bright, sunny, showtunes-obsessed guy he'd been a decade ago; only now he was less intense and more mature, and he'd even gotten back into baseball (although he'd decided for some reason that he was a Yankees fan--horrifying). When they finally graduated to daily phone calls (it took a while to get over the common phone phobia that came with the decade), Chad was happy to learn that Ryan's voice had also gotten about ten times sexier. In no time they were friends again, and neither of them had mentioned the whole sex thing. It was better that way.

Chad _liked_ Ryan. He liked him a lot. And when Ryan spent two hours on the phone with him even though he'd been at rehearsal all day, and then fell asleep as Chad was speaking, it was so adorable it made Chad like him more. Nothing more than that, because there was no way Chad was going to try long distance again.

Anyway, they were friends now. That was when they had been at their best in high school--as friends. Chad didn't want to give that up ever again.

Except Ryan was in New Mexico again for a few days, temptingly close. Chad had not seen him yet, but he knew it was coming. At the moment, the phone in his pocket buzzed. Chad paused the football game he was only sort of watching and fished his cell phone out. His caller ID told him it was Ryan--speak of the devil indeed. "Hello?"

" _Save me_. Sharpay just broke up with her latest and I can't deal with so many tears. I mean, I must be the worst brother but it's been a week. Want to go see a movie or something?"

"What if we go ice-skating?"

Chad could hear the smile when Ryan replied, "Ice-skating! I've never done that in the southwest. Let's do it."

"Okay. Meet you at one?"

"Got it. See you there."

"Wait--no--we can't. This is going to sound stupid, but I... kind of wanted to watch the last episode of, um, _Shirtless and Sizzling_. It's a rerun but I haven't seen it yet." Chad coughed out a tiny embarrassed chuckle, but it wouldn't be on for another two months, and it was holiday-themed, and he had developed the most horrifying weakness for the _Food Network_ in the past several months.

Ryan's laugh was not judgmental; instead, it was more surprised and amused. "You mean Zeke's cooking show? Oh God, let's watch it together, please? When is it on?"

"Same time. Around one."

"I'll be there at a quarter 'til. With popcorn."

Forty-five minutes, a shower, a quick clean-up of the apartment, and a tiny glass of wine later, Ryan appeared at Chad's door, a giant can of popcorn in one arm and a grin on his face. "I picked up caramel popcorn. I haven't had any in years, but I figure it's the right time of year to eat things that are bad for me."

"Dude, come in, sit down." Chad took Ryan's coat and hung it up and tried not to think about how much it smelled like Ryan. It took him back to the last time he had gotten a chance to take in that particular scent--the mix of soap and Old Spice and something vaguely rosy--and _that_ just reminded him of the way Ryan's lips felt against his, and the way Ryan had still remembered that Chad loved it when someone pulled on the curl at the nape of his neck.

He swallowed. This was going to be difficult, considering the last time Ryan had been close enough to touch was the night they'd had sex. Chad still couldn't decide whether or not that had been a good idea.

He turned around and saw Ryan in his tight t-shirt and jeans that showed off his dancer's body, sitting on the couch right where Chad had once given him a blow job.

Yeah, this was going to be interesting.

He took a seat on the couch, taking care not to touch Ryan in any way. He didn't even allow his thigh to rest against Ryan's. Neither of them said a word as Chad changed the channel to the Food Network and the ridiculous but cheerful montage of a shirtless Zeke sautéeing various vegetables and sprinkling spices on everything he saw. Big, bold words came on the screen: SHIRTLESS AND SIZZLING _with Zeke Baylor_.

Chad looked out of the corner of his eye to see Ryan looking as stiff and awkward as he felt. Ryan turned to glance at Chad just as Zeke--in a Santa Claus hat--ripped off his t-shirt and winked charmingly at the audience. This resulted in an eruption of applause from the studio audience and raucous laughter from Ryan and Chad.

"He _ripped it off_ ," said Chad breathlessly between guffaws. "And the hat! The hat!"

"Well, the show _is_ called _Shirtless and Sizzling_ ," replied Ryan with a sudden straight face. It lasted two seconds before he glanced at Chad again, and they were again clutching their stomachs and leaning against each other, nearly unable to breathe due to laughter.

They missed the first five minutes, in which Zeke explained what he would be preparing that day. There was an array of bowls and food on the counter in front of him, and the counter was decorated with garland and tinsel. Eventually, Ryan and Chad calmed down enough to watch Zeke teach the public how to "spice up their Christmas hams--if you know what I mean."

That started them up again.

They passed the entire hour like this--laughing at their former classmate's antics, and every now and then calming down only to see Zeke wink lasciviously or, at one point, shake his backside playfully at the camera. When that happened, tears were running down Ryan's face.

"That was the best television show that has ever happened to me," Chad declared when the credits were rolling. "Who knew Zeke would get his own hilarious cooking show?"

"Where he cooks _shirtless_. Well, you know, besides the apron. How did the producers let that slide? Do you think he had pants on?"

Chad tried to express as much horror as possible in his voice when he replied, "Oh, God. Don't make me think about Zeke without pants on. So many bad memories of high school."

Ryan chuckled and stood up to stretch. When he sat back down, he reached over to take a handful of popcorn at the same time Chad did, and the backs of their hands brushed against one another. A burst of nervous energy ran up Chad's arm and nearly made him shiver. He licked his lips.

It didn't appear to affect Ryan at all. He sat back, chewing his popcorn. When he swallowed a bite, he said, "Didn't you say something about ice skating? Does that offer still stand?"

Chad was happy to do something that didn't involve sitting _this close_ to Ryan on a couch they had had really fantastic sex on in an empty apartment where anything could happen. Chad didn't _want_ just anything to happen. "Totally still stands! Let's go," he said, maybe too quickly. He needed to stop this, before he made a big mistake and completely destroyed the friendship they had so carefully built.

~*~

It was true that Ryan had never been ice skating in New Mexico, but he had gone dozens of times since he'd been to New York. He _loved_ ice skating; he loved the grace and the cold and the couples holding hands. He loved that this rink was still recovering from Christmastime festivities: a giant Christmas tree greeted people when they came in through the front door, giant glass bulbs hung over the ice, the walls decorated with garlands and holly. Ryan was in the best mood he'd been since October.

He looked over his shoulder at Chad shuffling along behind him. His face was red and the picture of concentration. Ryan smiled to himself and turned around so he was skating backwards. This caused Chad to give him a look of pure annoyance.

"I thought you said you never ice skated!"

"Not in Albuquerque, but I've lived in _New York_ for ten years." Chad tripped and nearly fell forward; Ryan stepped towards him and grabbed his forearms.

He looked down at Chad and wondered if he had grown during the past several years or had Chad always been this short? And were his eyelashes always that long? And his lips always so full? Ryan hardly noticed that he was leaning forward when Chad suddenly pulled away and tried to skate past him. Of course, rushing unbalanced him, and he fell backwards, landing on his ass.

Ryan couldn't help it when he started laughing again. Chad rolled his eyes and tried to shoot him another look of utmost irritation, but that quickly dissolved into giggles.

Ryan stretched out a hand to help him up, but Chad didn't accept it. Instead he pulled himself up by grabbing onto the wall. When he was standing (quite precariously), he reached behind his neck to pull at the curl at the nape of his neck--the curl that had once been Ryan's favorite curl in the world. It was a nervous habit that hadn't quit at all in the thirteen years they'd known each other.

"Are you okay?" asked Ryan, frowning. He meant his question to be about the fall, but Chad must have caught the way Ryan was watching Chad pull at the curl. He suddenly looked nervous and overly concerned in that way he did when he was embarrassed.

"I'm okay. I promise. Just a little... flustered. I guess."

Ryan nodded. "Sure you don't want me to help you skate?"

"Nah, I'm good." Chad smiled shakily and began to shuffle-skate away. Ryan stood there for another few seconds, hands in his pockets, before he skated after him.

Ryan wanted to kiss Chad. He wanted to be the one pulling that curl; he wanted to hold Chad's hand and pull him around the skating rink; he wanted to do simple things like watch stupid TV shows in the middle of the afternoon, ending with a cuddly nap. Was he missing James, or was this all Chad? He couldn't be sure--until Chad tripped again, and Ryan offered his hand again.

This time, Chad took it. He didn't let go for another ten minutes.

It was definitely all Chad.

That terrified Ryan. He shouldn't have let himself go on a date with Chad. If it led to anything it could only be bad. Ryan was too insecure; too prone to unfaithfulness. But he had once loved Chad with all his heart and been too scared to say so. He was older now, still scared, but a little more ready to handle it. The idea stayed on his mind all afternoon until he realized that maybe it had always been Chad and he just had never recognized it.

_Now_ what was he supposed to do?

~*~

After ice-skating, they went out to dinner, and Ryan was getting text messages every five minutes although he wasn't replying. By text number nineteen, he was looking pretty annoyed. Finally, Chad told him he didn't mind if Ryan wanted to reply.

Ryan shook his head as he powered off the device. "It's just Sharpay. She's being nosy and I don't think she quite approves that I'm on a date with you. Especially since she can't exactly go on dates right now herself."

Chad was more than a little taken aback by that. Not the Sharpay thing, but the being on a date part. " _Are_ we on a date?" He had been under the impression that he was "saving" Ryan from his sister and all related incidents, and that this was merely just a friendly rendezvous. Not a  </i>date</i>.

"Is that, ah, not what you thought?" Ryan looked a little embarrassed. In fact, Chad noticed that the shells of his ears were turning pink, like they had in high school.

Why would Chad notice that?

He shook his head very slowly. "Ryan... you live in New York all year. I live here. My life is in Albuquerque."

"I'm in Albuquerque a lot for Sharpay and stuff," replied Ryan earnestly. "There are schools in New York."

Chad's heart was beating so hard it felt like any minute now it would leap up through his throat. "Are you really asking me what I think you're asking me?"

"I mean... not really? But I'm saying, Chad, if we wanted to make it work, we could make it work."

Chad pulled the curl at the nape of his neck and bit his lip. "I gotta go," he said after a moment of Ryan looking at him with puppy dog eyes. He stood up and began to walk away before doubling back to kiss Ryan on the cheek. "I'll think about it. Okay? Maybe."

He headed out the door of the once-beloved Pizza Express, hands in his pockets and shaking his head. His mind was racing and his heart was trying to beat its way through his chest. He walked back to his apartment, a million ideas flashing through his head. He had no idea what he was going to do.

~*~

_December 30th, 2017  
New York, New York_

"He completely freaked out, Kels. Like, he walked out of the restaurant." Ryan took off his hat and twirled it nervously on his finger. "I haven't talked to him since."

"So... if I understand this correctly, you told Chad you thought you two could work, and he just... left?" Kelsi sipped her coffee and glanced out the window, then back to Ryan. "That's not good."

"No." Ryan shook his head and rolled his eyes. "I ruin everything that has to do with him. We were _good_ back in the day."

"You were sickeningly adorable. But I guess at East High, that _was_ 'good.'" Kelsi frowned. "I thought you said you'd been flirting all day."

"We had! _All_ day. We even kind of cuddled on the couch. And there was this weird moment where I think we almost kissed, but then Chad had a slightly less major freakout and skated away."

Kelsi shrugged and they were quiet for a few minutes, just drinking their coffee and staring off into space. "Maybe you should just stop thinking about him, Ryan. He's in Albuquerque. We're here. Even if something was there between you two..."

Ryan sighed. "I know. But I just want to know. You know?"

"You know what would take all of this off your mind? A movie. We should go see a movie."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. I hear the remake of _Spiderman_ is actually pretty good. Plus the guy playing Peter Parker is way hot. Even Mattie thinks so."

There was a very good reason Kelsi was still his best friend after all these years.

~*~

_December 31st, 2017_  
Albuquerque, New Mexico  
(8:49 PM) 

"Hello? Ryan?" Ryan's voice was being drowned in the noise coming from all the people that Chad imagined were around him, and Chad could hardly hear his voice.

Ryan sounded surprised and drunk. "Chad! Chad? Chad! Ummm, wait a second."

Chad waited. Someone in the background said "Ryan, get your ass over here!" to which Ryan replied with a laugh and "Get a room!" New Year's in New York City sounded fun. Finally, Ryan found somewhere that wasn't so loud. By that point, Chad's clock read 8:52 PM.

"Hello?"

Chad grinned. "Hey, man. How's it going?"

"I'm, um, totally drunk. Actually. Um."

"I don't blame you. I'm going over to my sister's in a bit, but you sound like you're having way more fun."

"Are you... calling for any reason?" 8:55 PM.

Was there? Chad didn't know. He'd noticed that it was almost midnight on the east coast, so he'd called the only person who mattered to him there. He wasn't quite sure why. Finally, he decided on replying, "Nah... I just wanted to wish you a happy New Year's."

"That's sweet! No, really! That's sweet!" Ryan's smile shone through his words. "Thank you so much!"

"You're an excited drunk," said Chad, unable to help smiling himself.

"No! Okay, yes. I'm totally excited."

8:58 PM.

"Aren't you going to kiss anyone at midnight?" Chad tried to sound completely nonchalant, but as soon as he asked the question he found he was holding his breath.

The answer he got was "um," followed by a long silence, until Chad thought that Ryan had completely hung up. Suddenly, he could hear the sound of people counting down in the background. He glanced at the clock. It was 8:59.

_8, 7, 6_...

"Chad? Are you still there? I wish I could--" but he was interrupted by the screams and shouts of _Happy New Year_ and the sound of horns blaring, mixed with the faint sound of Ryan's name being called. "I gotta go, someone's coming." The sound of being hung up on clicked in Chad's ear.

"Okay," Chad said, a little dazedly.

For some reason, he'd thought that Ryan had been completely honest about the two of them being able to make it work. But it sounded like Ryan was going to be kissing someone at midnight and he just didn't want to hurt Chad's feelings. Which was totally valid. Chad just wished that Ryan hadn't led him on.

By the time midnight rolled around in New Mexico, Chad didn't feel much like partying. He drank a margarita one of his sister's friends made for him and tried to participate in a conversation a few of his frat brothers from college were having about whether the Rams or the Packers were going to win the Superbowl, but Chad couldn't take his mind off Ryan. To be honest, he was disappointed, and moreover, he was definitely regretting his reaction to Ryan's sudden proposition just a few days before.

He looked up and saw an ad for Southwest Airlines playing in the middle of the New Year's Eve program on TV, and had a sudden idea.

After all, what better time to go to New York City than the winter?

~*~

_January 3rd, 2018  
New York City_

Ryan was, to say the least, cranky. He'd arrived to the theater an hour early only to find that both Marianne and Mattie were out for the night, forcing him to act alongside two of the more incompetent understudies. Well, the one doing Marianne's part wasn't too bad except for the part when she nearly tripped him during "Good Morning"; but the girl who had been Lina for the night was overall obnoxious. Plus her Lina voice? Was completely and totally _real_. That was how she _always spoke_.

The headache he found himself with as he left the theater forty-five minutes after the show had ended, then, was absolutely no surprise. It was rude, he knew, but he was in no mood to deal with the fans that night. He tried to pull down the brim of his hat to avoid being spotted by the few stragglers left standing outside the door, but somebody called his name. He took a deep breath, briefly closed and opened his eyes, and turned around, ready to give a smile and an autograph to a well-meaning father for his teenage daughter.

Except if Chad Danforth had a teenage daughter, Ryan wanted to know every single detail.

"Chad?" he couldn't help it if he sounded utterly bewildered. "What--you're in New York?" He gave his head a tiny shake. "Did you see my _show_?"

It was snowing lightly, and the flakes fell on Chad's curls and eyelashes in a way that seemed almost out of place, though it still made a charming picture. Chad reached behind his neck to pull at that curl. He bit his lip. Why was he so _attractive_ when he did that? Even as exhausted and cranky as Ryan was, he still wanted to push Chad against the wall and kiss him until he couldn't breathe. Chad smiled so that only one corner of his mouth went up. "Hey, Ryan. Yeah, I saw the show."

Ryan had no idea what to say. "What did you think?"

"Do you want to go get coffee?"

At that point, Ryan couldn't even say words. He just nodded slowly. Chad nodded back, that lopsided smile refusing to go away, and then he started walking towards the main sidewalk. Ryan was on his heels.

"Okay. There's a place I saw nearby."

"Saxby's?"

"Yeah! You've been?"

Ryan rolled his eyes. "The cast basically lives there."

"Good, so you can tell me what to get." Chad looked over his shoulder and the lights shining down from all of the buildings around them caught him perfectly. Ryan was pretty sure he loved every dimple, line, and curl. He wasn't yet sure if that was a problem.

Saxby's was warm and homey; it was like Starbucks but with a more personal feel despite its hundreds of locations all over the country. It was one of Ryan's favorite places to just chill out and forget about all stresses of his life. It had been a favorite date spot when he had been dating James. He wondered if maybe Chad would enjoy it too.

Chad stuck his hands in his pockets awkwardly as he gazed up at the menu and then turned to Ryan. "What's something good that has no coffee?"

Ryan raised his eyebrows. "You don't like coffee?" There went that thought then.

Chad shook his head, shrugging. "It's kind of gross."

"So why'd you ask me if I wanted to come to coffee with you?"

"It seemed the kind of thing people in New York do." He looked around, seeming kind of awed, before he added, "I've never been, you know."

In a gesture of mock-drama, Ryan took his hat off his head and held it to his chest, shaking his head sadly. "You poor, poor thing. Here, get your drink to go. We're going to have an adventure." Fuck his headache. This was more important.

Chad ordered an apple cider and Ryan got his usual caramel macchiato. When they left the store, Ryan took Chad's hand and pulled him towards Forty-Second. They walked down the street talking idly about various things, Chad gazing with awe at pretty much everything (although he was obviously trying to hide it). Ryan kept stealing glances at him, taking joy in Chad's reaction.

Then they got to the corner of the intersection with Seventh and they looked down the street. There were lights everywhere, and it was kind of like information overload. Chad stared up at the skyline, clearly impressed. He looked at Ryan. "This is pretty cool."

"I mean, you see it all the time in the movies and on TV and stuff, but it's never as cool as when you see it for the first time."

"No, yeah, I can see how you would get tired of this." He took a deep breath. "I definitely wouldn't be able to handle it. There's so much going on."

Ryan suddenly had a thought. Why had he thought that Chad would want to see Times Square when there were so many better things to see? He checked his watch. If they hurried... "Do you want to see something else?"

"Whatever you want to show me."

What Ryan wanted to show him was a subway ride and a short bus ride away. They got off in a quieter part of the city, near the harbor. Ryan led Chad through a maze of streets and down a sidewalk through a vast patch of grass, from which they could see the water. They stopped at one particular bench. Ryan was actually surprised nobody was sitting there, but he supposed the time of night (it was nearly one) was stopping everyone else. "After you," said Ryan, sort of bowing and gesturing as gracefully as he could. He wasn't exhausted anymore.

Chad sat down and gazed across the harbor. The skyline was impressive even from here. "Cool, huh?"

"Very."

They sat in silence for a few minutes before Chad cleared his throat. Ryan turned to look at him, and then he and Chad were staring straight into each other's eyes. The glow that fell from the lanterns that lined the fence in front of them shone on Chad's face softly. Ryan leaned closer.

"Ryan?" Chad said quietly, moving back a little. "I... don't really know where to start." Ryan swallowed, no idea where this was heading. He removed his hat from his head and put it on the seat next to him. Then he folded his hands in his lap, waiting for Chad to continue. "Did you know that every day for _two years_ after you broke up with me I thought about calling you and demanding to know your real reasons for breaking up with me? And then I would ask if you were serious that you didn't want to be together?" Chad was pulling at that curl again. Ryan had no idea why, but he felt compelled to reach over, take that hand, and hold it in his own. "I was totally in love with you, dude. Seriously."

"I--"

"Wait, let me finish." Chad looked away towards the water. The snow was still falling lightly, but Ryan wasn't really cold. "Okay, so yeah, I was way in love with you then. But then these past few months, I've been realizing that I never really stopped. That sounds completely stupid and maybe even creepy that I've been pining after you all this time, but you were, like, my first, man. You never get over your first." Faint amusement came over his face. "I mean, look at Troy and Gabriella." Chad turned to Ryan again. "Look, I don't know how serious you are about making it work, but if you are... I mean. I just wanted to let you know. The loving you thing. So ball's in your court."

Ryan didn't even know what to say to that. So he reached for Chad, cradled the back of his head in his hand, and pulled him forward for a kiss. He broke it for only a moment to say, "Leave it to you to end that with a basketball metaphor," and then he was kissing Chad again, and he had no idea how they would make this work, but this was his second chance and no way was he going to fuck this one up.

Later, they were walking back to the bus stop, hand in hand. "I hope you didn't get a room at some fancy hotel," said Ryan.

"I was kind of hoping I could just crash at your place," replied Chad. "Unless you have some other idea--"

Ryan stopped and pulled Chad towards him. "We are going to my apartment. _Right now_. We may not leave for a few days. When does your plane leave?"

"Thursday." Two days.

"Look at that! All the time in the world."

**Epilogue**

_April 17th, 2018  
Albuquerque, New Mexico_

Sharpay had never been one much for channel surfing, but on this particular day she was feeling lonely and gross and completely unloved (by everyone except for Gurl, who sat faithfully at Sharpay's feet, which were curled up beneath her on the couch) and channel surfing was an activity that fit that combination of moods perfectly, a pint of Ben & Jerry's on the side. The problem was, everything was boring or just plain stupid. She sped past a Lifetime movie, a television show about two girls with their own video blog, a really old rerun of _Desperate Housewives_ , and a mindless children's cartoon before she saw it--some show called _Shirtless and Sizzling_ on the Food Network. If anything, she thought, it certainly sounded interesting, and so she settled back with her ice cream and spoon and prepared to at least laugh derisively for the next half-hour.

Instead, she found herself staring at the face of the first man she never had to manipulate into a relationship. Zeke Baylor, the man who made her realize that she was actually a likeable person without all the sparkles and stilettos and shouting at people just because she could. She had been pretty in love with him by the end of senior year, and they'd had a relationship for years afterward... the only reason they'd broken up was because Zeke decided to move to California. Gurl barked happily at the television, although Gurl hadn't existed until far after the Zeke era. Sharpay raised her eyebrows as far as they could go when Zeke took off his shirt and put on an apron over his impressive pectorals.

She was sitting here eating ice cream and watching television when she could be sleeping with _this_ guy? She put the television on mute and pulled her cell phone out of the pocket of her fluffy pink bathrobe and dialed Ryan.

"Hello?" he finally answered after three or four rings. He sounded more than a little annoyed.

"Hello, Ry? I know it's spring break here so I know Danforth is there with you, could you ask him a question for me?" Zeke was bending over to open an oven door. Sharpay found herself licking her lips.

"Sure, sis," and Sharpay was so distracted by the sight of Zeke mixing something in a bowl that she hardly noticed when Ryan handed the phone over to Danforth. It was his voice that muttered, also with a hint of irritation like Ryan, "Sharpay? Evans? What's up?"

"Are you still in touch with Zeke Baylor? I need his phone number. Now." Sharpay cleared her throat. "I mean, as soon as possible. Please."

"Well, your brother and I are kind of busy right now--"

" _Gross_ \--"

"But I can get Gabriella to email it to you later?"

Zeke spilled a cup of milk on his apron, causing him to pull it off. "That would be _great_ ," she replied absent-mindedly (and, it must be said, a tad breathlessly), to a nervous cough/laugh from Danforth, and she pressed the _end_ button on her phone without another word.

There was no reason she could think of that she should be alone _tomorrow_ night.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [And forevermore](https://archiveofourown.org/works/14668614) by [Meh_tis](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Meh_tis/pseuds/Meh_tis)




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